Department for Transport

Driving: Licensing

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people over the age of 18 hold a driving licence in each parliamentary constituency and local authority area.

Jesse Norman: Officials have advised that this information is not held in the format requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The link below provides data already published on the number of driving licences held in Great Britain by age and by postcode.https://data.gov.uk/dataset/driving-licence-data

Department for Transport: Redundancy Pay

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 September 2017 to Question 10152, on Department for Transport: redundancy pay, of the (a) 190 exit packages awarded in the core department and 476 in the departmental group in 2016 and (b) the 144 exit packages awarded in the core department and the 497 in the departmental group in 2015, how many were awarded to (i) men and (ii) women.

Mr John Hayes: Details of the number, type, compensation levels and cost of exits from the Department for Transport are routinely published in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts. We do not hold all the information requested centrally and to establish these details would incur disproportionate costs.

Transport

Mr Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve transport connectivity between the north east and the rest of England.

Jesse Norman: The Government is committed to improving connectivity within the North of England, and between the North and the rest of England. Once the £380m scheme to upgrade the A1 between Leeming and Barton is completed in spring 2018, there will be a continuous motorway link between London and Tyne and Wear. The £61m Coal House to Metro Centre improvement scheme has already improved journey times on the A1 Newcastle Gateshead Western Bypass, and further phases are under development, along with a scheme to dual more of the A1 in Northumberland. East to west connectivity will be improved by the commitment to complete the dualling of the A66 and improve junctions on the A69 around Hexham. Rail connectivity will be improved by the new Northern and TransPennine Express franchises, which will provide new trains, more than 500 new carriages, room for 40,000 extra passengers and more than 2,000 extra services a week, by 2020. As part of this, the frequency of Transpennine trains between Newcastle and York/Leeds/Manchester will increase from one to two trains per hour. Services on the East Coast Main Line will be improved in 2018 when the introduction of new Azuma trains will provide over 12,000 extra seats. The Department awaits Transport for the North’s draft Strategic Transport Plan which will set out their aims for further improving transport connectivity in the North.

Rolling Stock

Bim Afolami: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will recommend to train operators the removal of first class carriages or first class carriage restrictions from rush-hour commuter trains.

Paul Maynard: Any decision taken to place a requirement on a franchisee to remove first class accommodation from its trains would be made on a case-by-case basis.

Aviation

Kelly Tolhurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department as made of the gross value added to the UK economy by the general aviation sector in the last 12 months.

Mr John Hayes: In March 2015 the Government published research that the Department for Transport commissioned from York Aviation entitled “The Economic Value of General Aviation in the UK”. That research contained an estimate of the gross value added to the economy by general aviation in the UK as being £3.8bn direct and indirect economic benefit, supporting 38,000 jobs. We have commissioned research on what a strategic network of general aviation airfields might look like and this research may review that calculation.

Airports

Kelly Tolhurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of airfields in the UK.

Mr John Hayes: The majority of airfields in the UK are privately run and owned. The Government takes the matter of airport capacity seriously. In March 2015 the Government published research that the Department for Transport commissioned from York Aviation entitled “The Economic Value of General Aviation in the UK”. That research contained an estimate of the jobs linked to the general aviation sector in the UK being 38,000. We are commissioning research on what a strategic network of general aviation airfields might look like and this research may review that calculation.

Railways: Per Capita Costs

Mike Hill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the per head spend on rail services is less in the north of England compared with per head spent in (a) London and (b) the national average.

Paul Maynard: The Department focuses on delivering outcomes for transport users, not on how much is spent per head. There are various problems with attempting to compare transport spending on a spend per head of regional resident population basis. The calculation for London for example doesn’t account for the substantial number of daily commuters and visitors, both domestically and internationally, who will be using and benefitting from the roads and public transport networks but who aren’t London residents. For example, two in every three rail journeys start or end in London and there are eighteen times more passengers arriving into London during a typical morning peak than at Manchester, the busiest northern city. In particular, as the main international gateway into and out of the country, London will be the location for transport investments which look to serve passengers well beyond the local resident population. The unique scale and urban density of London also means that large scale public transport networks are particularly important. The Department for Transport does not allocate funding to transport on a ‘per head of population’ basis. Investment decisions are made based on a rigorous and fair appraisal process that ensures spending goes to the projects and programmes where it is most needed and delivers greatest value-for-money for both taxpayers and passengers. We are increasing government infrastructure investment by 50% over the next four years, supporting growth and jobs across the country, and making sure it is spent on the projects prioritised by communities around Britain. As we emphasised in the Transport Investment Strategy, investment decisions should reflect a clear understanding of the particular needs of the country and that’s why we welcome the regional partnerships that are forming in different areas, like Transport for the North, which can speak with one voice on strategic transport planning to boost growth and economic development and who can help in deciding how best to invest in transport in their region. We are delivering unprecedented investment in better transport across the north and delivering right now on dramatically improving journeys for passengers across the north, from phasing out the out-dated Pacer trains to delivering the Great North Rail Project to getting on with HS2 which will transform capacity and connections for millions, with stations in Manchester, Crewe, Leeds and Sheffield.

Railways: Tyne and Wear

Mr Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential economic benefits of (a) introducing new rolling stock and (b) extending the Tyne and Wear Metro for (i) service users and (ii) the local population.

Jesse Norman: Departmental officials are in discussion with Nexus, the Tyne and Wear Metro, regarding their proposals for new rolling stock and as part of this work Nexus have provided a Strategic Outline Business Case. The Government has not been asked to consider a business case for the Metro extensions. Assessing the economic case for extending the Metro system is a matter for Nexus and the Tyne and Wear local authorities to consider.

Aviation

Kelly Tolhurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to increase regional aviation capacity.

Mr John Hayes: The Government recognises that regional air connectivity across the UK is very important and airports support regional economies, create skilled employment opportunities and enable business and leisure travel. However, the UK aviation market operates in a competitive, commercial environment; it is therefore for airlines to determine which routes they operate. A priority for the new Aviation Strategy (Call for Evidence published July 2017) will be to ensure that the aviation sector continues to provide and improve regional connectivity across the regions and nations of the UK in a way that benefits the country as a whole. Also, as part of the Call for Evidence we asked for views on the proposed policy to support airports throughout the UK making the best use of their existing runways, subject to environmental issues being addressed, and we are now considering those responses.

Shipping: Minimum Wage

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his letter, ref MC/204080, what progress has been made on the work of the legal working group tasked with the review of the application of the national minimum wage to seafarers working in UK waters.

Mr John Hayes: The Legal Working Group will meet again on 1st November. Progress has been made and there is a legislative proposal forming that has general consensus within the Group.

Transport: Per Capita Costs

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the oral contribution by the Secretary of State for Transport of 19 October 2017, Official Report, column 975, what evidence there is that per-head transport investment in London is not 10 times greater than in Yorkshire and the Humber; and if he will publish per-head transport investment for each NUTS 1 region of England.

Jesse Norman: Historic per-head transport investment for each NUTS 1 region of England is already published in Her Majesty Treasury’s Country and Regional Analysis data. Analysis using the most recent Country and Regional Analysis (November 2016) shows that in 2015-16 transport investment per head by the Department for Transport in London was less than double that in Yorkshire and the Humber, at £285 in London and £168 in Yorkshire and the Humber. A number of factors make precise analysis and comparisons difficult. It is not always possible to allocate spending accurately on a project that crosses many regions, such as HS2. Projects of national significance such as Crossrail, which is the largest infrastructure project in Europe, can alone distort these figures significantly. An analysis of regional spend per head of resident population would not necessarily take into account the pressure that large numbers of commuters and visitors from outside of a region can add to a region’s transport networks. In addition, larger and more densely built-up areas tend to make greater use of mass public transport systems. For example, in 2015/16 there were 537 million rail journeys within the London area compared to 142 million in the North. Investment by the Department is made based on a fair and rigorous process designed to ensure that spending goes where it is most needed.

Taxis: Exhaust Emissions

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage taxi drivers to purchase new zero-emissions vehicles.

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to increase the value of the plug-in taxi grant available to taxi drivers.

Jesse Norman: The Plug in Taxi Grant (PITG) was announced in March 2017. This will provide support to taxi drivers purchasing new ultra low emission taxis of up to £7,500. The first eligible vehicles to be able to claim the PITG are expected to come to market shortly. We are keeping PITG support levels under review. For private hire vehicles the existing Plug in Car Grant of up to £4,500 is already available to support the take up of ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs) used as taxis. To provide further support for ULEV taxis the Government is supporting 10 local authorities with £14m of funding to install dedicated chargepoint infrastructure to encourage taxi drivers to purchase new zero emissions vehicles.

Transport: Per Capita Costs

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department plans to spend on transport infrastructure per capita in each region for the three years from 2016-17.

Jesse Norman: A meaningful regional breakdown of infrastructure investment is difficult due to the nature of many transport projects, which traverse multiple regions. The Infrastructure Projects Authority (IPA) publishes a forward-looking pipeline of planned projects, including transport programmes by region. However, this includes a number of projects that have not been allocated to regions, and, by value, around 60% have not been allocated to an individual region because they relate to schemes that cover multiple regions or programmes that will be spread across the whole country, such as HS2. A link to the current IPA published data is below:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-infrastructure-and-construction-pipeline-2016

Transport: Per Capita Costs

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department spent on transport infrastructure per capita in each region in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14, (e) 2014-15 and (f) 2015-16.

Jesse Norman: Figures on public sector spend at a regional and national level are part of the Government’s Country and Regional Analysis (CRA) statistics.Statistics for previous capital expenditure, per capita, by the Department for Transport for each region for transport are given in table 1 below. Table 2 provides the equivalent statistics but includes spending on transport from all other areas of the public sector. Capital expenditure has been used as a proxy for spending on infrastructure specifically.Table 1: Capital spending, per capita, on all transport, by the DfT only£s nominalRegion2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-16England - East150133879092137England - East Midlands8573607410498England - London134133139138172285England - North East6048505475104England - North West7773757195153England - South East89747896100155England - South West565358516291England - West Midlands67627183113155England - Yorkshire and Humber97999791118168England94878488108161Northern Ireland011011Scotland202021202742Wales5459625658101United Kingdom8478767996144 Table 2: Capital spending, per capita, on all transport, by all public sector bodies£s nominalRegion2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-16England - East235210164175200247England - East Midlands136131102130161166England - London414413432455539688England - North East144129111126159182England - North West181179155156190258England - South East145134145176191246England - South West128114116122148186England - West Midlands134126145141189227England - Yorkshire and Humber148146154163202240England198189186200239299Northern Ireland22516914913214287Scotland225238268253274223Wales194175192180186216United Kingdom202193193203238285 It should be noted that big projects, such as Crossrail, which is the largest infrastructure project in Europe, can significantly distort these figures. In addition to this it is not always possible to allocate spending precisely on a project that crosses many regions, for example HS2. This Department focuses on delivering outcomes for transport users, not on spending per head. An analysis of regional spend per head of resident population would not, for example, take into account the pressure that large numbers of commuters and visitors from outside of a region can add to a region’s transport networks. In addition, larger and more densely built-up areas tend to make greater use of mass public transport systems. For example, in 2015/16 there were 537 million rail journeys within the London area compared to 142 million in the North. Investment by the Department is made based on a fair and rigorous process that ensures that spending goes where it is most needed.

Aviation: Employment

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of jobs linked to the general aviation sector in the UK.

Mr John Hayes: In March 2015 the Government published research that the Department for Transport commissioned from York Aviation entitled “The Economic Value of General Aviation in the UK”. That research contained an estimate of the jobs linked to the general aviation sector in the UK being 38,000. We are commissioning research on what a strategic network of general aviation airfields might look like and this research may review that calculation.

Aviation

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the contribution from general aviation in the UK to growth and employment in the STEM sector.

Mr John Hayes: In March 2015 the Government published research that the Department for Transport commissioned from York Aviation entitled “The Economic Value of General Aviation in the UK”. That research contained an estimate of the jobs linked to the general aviation sector in the UK being 38,000. York Aviation did not separate out the contribution from the Government’s STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics) education programmes. We are commissioning research on what a strategic network of general aviation airfields might look like and this research may review that calculation.

Transport: North West

Chris Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Government has allocated to transport capital infrastructure projects in the North West of England in each year since 2015.

Jesse Norman: Figures on public sector spend at a regional and national level are part of the Government’s Country and Regional Analysis (CRA) statistics. These statistics attempt to allocate the spending according to where the benefits of that spend are accrued. Statistics for public capital expenditure on transport for the North West of England for the years 2014-15 and 2015-16 are given below: 2014-15: £1.355 billion2015-16: £1.853 billion These figures include spend on transport by all public sector organisations (including Local Authorities and Public Corporations).

Road Signs and Markings

Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that local councils enforce the removal of temporary road signs which have remained in place beyond the maximum permitted period of three months.

Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to reduce the number of unnecessary road signs.

Jesse Norman: Local authorities (and Highways England for the strategic road network) are responsible for the installation and removal of all traffic signs, including temporary ones. It is for them to ensure any temporary signs placed do not stay in place beyond the legal time limit. Reducing sign clutter was one of the principle aims of the recent revision of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD). This came into force on 22 April 2016, and relaxed many requirements on the use and placing of signs to enable local authorities to place fewer signs. DfT Circular 01/2016 published alongside TSRGD 2016 includes a section on decluttering, highlighting these changes and making it clear that the Department expects authorities to make use of these to reduce the amount of sign clutter on the roads. We are in the process of revising our good practice guidance on sign design and placement, the Traffic Signs Manual, to reflect the changes made in TSRGD. This will emphasise decluttering throughout.

Wrecks: British Overseas Territories

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many wrecks have been recovered in each of the Overseas Territories since the introduction of the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks by the UK in 2015.

Mr John Hayes: No wrecks have been recovered from the waters surrounding any of the Overseas Territories since the introduction of the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks by the UK in 2015.

Home Office

Police: Driving Offences

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will exempt police officers from prosecution for driving offences committed while in pursuit of a suspect.

Mr Nick Hurd: The review will look at the law, guidance and practice surrounding both police pursuits and response driving more widely.

EU Nationals: Registration

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her oral evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 17 October 2017, by how much her Department's staffing budget will increase to accommodate the 700 additional caseworkers already recruited and the 500 to be recruited to assist with the process of registering EU nationals.

Brandon Lewis: As stated by the Home Secretary at HASC, HMT will provide up to £60m of additional costs this year for additional activity as we leave the EU. Any decisions on budgets in future years will be published to Parliament in the usual way. More detail of changes to the Home Office budget will be confirmed through the Supplementary Estimate, which will be laid before Parliament.

Police: Finance

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the total value of approved applications for Police Special Grant exceeds the total amount available in Special Grant funding.

Mr Nick Hurd: Applications for Special Grant funding go through a staged approval process including an assessment undertaken by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.Details of Special Grant funding application are published on the Gov.uk website after the end of each financial year. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-funding-special-grant-guidance/special-grant-guidance#home-office-guidance-for-special-grant-funding

Police: Recruitment

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average annual cost has been of (a) training and (b) employing a full-time (i) police officer, (ii) detective constable and (iii) police community support officer in each of the last three years.

Mr Nick Hurd: The estimated average full-time equivalent employment costs for police officers and PCSOs (including pay, National Insurance and pension contributions) are set out below: 2016/17 Police Officer £50,300 PCSO £28,3002015/16 Police Officer £48,800 PCSO £27,7002014/15 Police Officer £48,000 PCSO £27,700 The average cost of a detective constable cannot be calculated separately. Training costs are not collected centrally. Training and development costs for officers and PCSOs are a matter for individual Police and Crime Commissioners.

Domestic Violence: Greater London

Ellie Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of domestic violence were reported to police in London in each of the last five years.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Office for National Statistics publishes information on the number of incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police. This information is published by police force area in a cross government statistical bulletin ‘Domestic abuse in England and Wales: year ending March 2016’, which can be found here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/domesticabuseinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2016

Rifles

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of banning .50 calibre rifles and manually activated reload systems on legitimate users of such weapons.

Mr Nick Hurd: On 14 October the Government launched a public consultation on proposals to strengthen controls on offensive and dangerous weapons, including the prohibition of two types of firearm which we feel present a risk to public safety: .50 calibre ‘materiel destruction’ rifles and rapid fire rifles, such as the VZ58 Manually Actuated Release System (MARS) rifle.The consultation closes on 9 December. An Impact Assessment has been published alongside the consultation paper and is available to view on GOV.UK. The consultation seeks views on the proposals, including the impact on the owners of these weapons.

Police: Recruitment

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to ensure that people who have a criminal record for drug use are able to join the police force.

Mr Nick Hurd: The College of Policing published their statutory Vetting Code of Practice on 12 October 2017 which sets out the vetting standards which are to be applied by police forces in England and Wales. These standards are designed to ensure that the public is confident that police vetting processes are effective in identifying those who pose a potential risk to others or who are otherwise unsuitable for working within the police force. The Vetting Code states that whilst the presumption is that an individual with a previous conviction would not be suitable for appointment as an officer, each case must be considered on its own merit and factors that should be considered include the nature and severity of the offence and the age of the individual at the time they committed the offence. Rejection should be automatic where an offence resulted in a custodial sentence or the applicant is a registered sex offender.

Police: Finance

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she received the latest estimates of Police financial reserves from Police and Crime Commissioner Treasurers.

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2017 to Question 107212, on police: finance, what recent estimate she has made of the level of usable non-earmarked general reserves.

Mr Nick Hurd: Police and Crime Commissioners had a statutory obligation to publish audited statements of accounts for the financial year 2016-17 by 30 September 2017. These showed that at 31 March 2017, Police and Crime Commissioners held £1.7bn in usable resource reserves. Total resource reserves remain higher than the £1.4bn held in 2011. The exact level of reserves is a matter for individual Police and Crime Com-missioners, who have a legal duty to set balanced annual budgets and ensure they have adequate reserves. Usable reserve levels that have built up over time must form a key part of a force’s plans to reform to meet changing demands.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Agriculture: Research

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to encourage universities and research institutions to conduct plant-based research to improve food security.

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what funding his Department currently provides to support research on food security.

Joseph Johnson: The UK’s main public funders of food-related research are working together through the Global Food Security programme to meet the challenge of providing the world’s growing population with access to safe, affordable and nutritious food, all of the time and in ways the planet can sustain into the future.Government policy on research funding is governed by the Haldane principle. The principle states that decisions on individual research proposals are best taken by researchers themselves and therefore competitive funding for science research is allocated by the UK Research Councils on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals.We are increasing research and development investment by £4.7 billion over the period 2017-18 to 2020-21. This equates to an extra £2 billion per year by 2020-21 and is an increase of around 20% to total government R&D spending, more than any increase in any parliament since 1979. This R&D investment funding is additional to the protection of science resource funding that was announced at the spending review in autumn 2015.

Agriculture: Research

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to support the retention of non-UK nationals who work as researchers in the agricultural and food security sector.

Joseph Johnson: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said, the UK must remain one of the best places in the world for science and innovation. We value the contribution of overseas researchers and will look to develop a future immigration system that works for all. The UK remains fully open to researchers from across the EU. We are also open to talent from the rest of the world with a visa system that provides a range of options for attracting top researchers from around the globe.

Coal

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the mean average amount of coal used for non-electricity generation purposes was in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Harrington: The table below gives the amount of coal used for non-electricity generation purposes for 2007 – 2016: Non-electricity generation coal consumption (thousand tonnes)200710,518200810,57720099,03720109,82720119,65820129,141201310,333201410,06120158,28220165,831 Source: Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2017, table 2.4, available athttps://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/solid-fuels-and-derived-gases-chapter-2-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes

Royal Mail: Industrial Disputes

Hugh Gaffney: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recent ballot on industrial action at Royal Mail conducted by the Communication Workers Union; and what discussions he has had with management of Royal Mail on those implications.

Margot James: The industrial dispute by Royal Mail staff is a matter for Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union. The Government encourages the parties to engage constructively to find a solution to the dispute as quickly as possible.

Fracking: North Yorkshire

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how the licence extension granted for PL080 at Kirby in North Yorkshire was agreed and documented in 2014.

Richard Harrington: After approving a Field Development Plan Addendum in 2013, the Department of Energy and Climate Change consented to an extension to the PL080 licence for a period of 10 years allowing further recovery of petroleum from the licensed area.Once the Deed of Variation implementing the extension was executed on 13 October 2013, the licence term dates were updated on the DECC website. This and other petroleum licensing information is now held on the website of the Oil and Gas Authority (www.ogauthority.co.uk).

Energy: Housing

Mr Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2017 to Question 106663, on energy: housing, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the Each Home Counts quality mark; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2017 to Question 106663, on energy: housing, what discussions he has had with operators of existing trader quality mark schemes on the introduction of the Each Home Counts quality mark.

Claire Perry: Each Home Counts was an independent review, which reported in December 2016. The majority of the recommendations, including creation of a quality mark, were directed at industry rather than Government, and it is for industry to propose how it will be implemented.As stated in the review’s report, the intention of the quality mark is to bring better clarity and protection to all those operating in the sector, and to those benefiting from energy efficiency and renewable energy measures, as well as to simplify the landscape and seek to remove complexity and bureaucracy for businesses wherever possible. It is also intended to provide consumers with confidence in the benefits they will receive from having measures installed in their homes and in the quality of the advice they receive on energy saving measures and their installation.As there is no regulatory requirement Government does not plan to conduct a dedicated economic impact assessment for Each Home Counts.Ministers have not had discussions with existing providers of quality marks or other schemes on the introduction of the Each Home Counts quality mark, but officials have participated in discussions with the Implementation Board, which operates on a voluntary basis, and a number of stakeholders including businesses and trade bodies.

Social Services: Minimum Wage

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2017 to Question 105010, on social services: minimum wage, whether the two care sector employers that met the exceptional criteria and have not been named under his Department's naming scheme include the employer with identified arrears of over £1 million, referred to in the letter of 6 April 2017 from Jon Thompson, Chief Executive, HM Revenue and Customs, to the right hon. Member for North Norfolk.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2017 to Question 105010, on social services: minimum wage, whether the 74 care sector employers named under his Department's naming scheme include the employer with identified arrears of over £1 million, referred to in the letter of 6 April 2017 from Jon Thompson, Chief Executive, HM Revenue and Customs, to the right hon. Member for North Norfolk.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2017 to Question 105010, on social services: minimum wage, whether the remaining cases that will be considered in future rounds of his Department's naming scheme include the employer with identified arrears of over £1 million, referred to in the letter of 6 April 2017 from Jon Thompson, Chief Executive, HM Revenue and Customs, to the right hon. Member for North Norfolk.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2017 to Question 105010, on social services: minimum wage, whether the 69 care sector employers that will not be considered for naming under his Department's naming scheme include the employer with identified arrears of over £1 million, referred to in the letter of 6 April 2017 from Jon Thompson, Chief Executive, HM Revenue and Customs, to the right hon. Member for North Norfolk.

Margot James: The case for the employer with identified arrears of over £1 million is among the 69 cases that will not be considered for naming. The case was opened by HMRC before the revised scheme came into effect on 1 October 2013 and did not meet the set criteria for naming under the previous scheme. Those criteria were:(1) Employer knowingly or deliberately failed to comply with their NMW obligations(2) Employer previously received advice from HMRC about steps they need to take to ensure future compliance with national minimum wage and has not taken these steps(3) Employer failed to take adequate steps to keep and preserve NMW records(4) Employer delayed or obstructed a NMW compliance officer in the performance of their duties(5) Employer refused or neglected to answer questions put to them by a NMW compliance officer(6) Employer refused or neglected to provide information to produce documents to a NMW compliance officer(7) Employer neglected to pay arrears of NMW to workers following HMRC intervention, which has resulted in HMRC having to undertake action against the employer to ensure payment of arrears

Fracking

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his Department's policy is on hydraulic fracturing; and what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the adequacy of planning regulations for hydraulic fracturing and coal bed methane extraction.

Richard Harrington: The UK Government supports shale gas exploration to determine the potential of the industry. Shale gas could create a new British industry, provide more jobs and make us less reliant on imports from abroad. However, we are clear: shale gas operations will only take place in a manner which is safe for the environment and local communities.Any company looking to develop shale will need to obtain all the necessary permissions, including planning and environmental permits, before hydraulic fracturing can be carried out.We have an effective planning system to consider and scrutinise all oil and gas development in this country. Delivering the Government’s ambitions requires close partnership working with other Government Departments, including DCLG, as well as planning authorities, the industry, regulators and local communities.

Fracking

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department's policy on hydraulic fracturing involves implementing the pledges made in the Conservative Party Manifesto 2017.

Richard Harrington: The Government is considering its approach to implementing the manifesto proposals on shale gas.We support shale gas exploration to determine the potential of the industry.

Energy: Prices

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2017 to Question 106537, on Energy: prices, what estimate he has made of the length of time it will take Ofgem to consult stakeholders before introducing an energy price cap.

Margot James: This is a matter for Ofgem. However, the provisions of the draft Bill allow Ofgem to consult on the methodology and the licence condition to implement the cap to take place during the passage of the Bill through Parliament. The provisions of the Bill also require Ofgem to implement the cap as soon as practicable after Royal Assent.

Intellectual Property

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what actions his Department has taken to ensure that owners of registered and unregistered community design rights maintain that protection when the UK leaves the EU.

Joseph Johnson: The Government recognises that owners of existing Community registered and unregistered design rights want clarity over the coverage of those rights when the UK leaves the EU. We are exploring various options and we are discussing these with users of the system to establish the best way forward.

Intellectual Property

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the Intellectual Property Office plans to publish its recommendations on registered and unregistered designs infringement.

Joseph Johnson: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Israel: Immigration Controls

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK citizens have complained of poor treatment by Israeli authorities at border crossings and entry points; and of those people how many have raised such issues with the (a) Government, (b) embassy in Tel Aviv and (c) consulates in Jerusalem and Ramallah in the last 12 months.

Alistair Burt: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 25 October 2017.The correct answer should have been:

​The British Embassy is aware of two British Nationals who were denied entry as a direct result of amendment 27 in the last 12 months.  In the last 12 months 13 British Nationals raised concerns with the British Embassy about poor treatment, questioning and delays at border crossings. All complaints are noted by the British Embassy in Tel Aviv. There is no British Consulate in Ramallah.

Alistair Burt: ​The British Embassy is aware of two British Nationals who were denied entry as a direct result of amendment 27 in the last 12 months.  In the last 12 months 13 British Nationals raised concerns with the British Embassy about poor treatment, questioning and delays at border crossings. All complaints are noted by the British Embassy in Tel Aviv. There is no British Consulate in Ramallah.

Yemen: Peace Negotiations

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps his Department is taking to support efforts to restart talks between warring parties in Yemen and their international allies.

Alistair Burt: ​Peace talks are the top priority. There is no military solution to the conflict and only a political solution can bring long-term stability to Yemen. The Yemeni parties must engage constructively and in good faith. The UK has played a leading role in diplomatic efforts, including bringing together key actors to seek a peaceful solution. As part of this, I hosted a Ministerial-level meeting with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, US and UN Special Envoy at the UN General Assembly in September.The UK also proposed the Presidential Statement passed at the UN Security Council in June this year, which called for an end to the fighting and a return to UN-led peace talks. We are now working with our international and regional partners to ensure that the Security Council's words are converted into action as a matter of urgency. We call on all parties to respect these unified and clear demands from the international community.

British Overseas Territories: Hurricanes and Tornadoes

Sir Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much funding his Department has allocated to relief operations in the British Overseas Territories as a result of Hurricane Irma.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Government has to date committed £57 million to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of the Overseas Territories that were affected by Hurricane Irma. This includes £32 million from the cross-Whitehall Conflict Security & Stability Fund, £15 million from Treasury reserves and £10 million from the Department for International Development.

Iraq: Kurds

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Iraqi counterpart on the Kurdish independence referendum.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign Secretary spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Abadi on 19 October and I spoke with the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Dr. Ibrahim al-Jaafari, on 17 October. I also met with Qassim Al Arraji, the Iraqi Minister of Interior on the same day in London. On all those occasions we have made it clear that we regret the Kurdish Referendum on independence from Iraq, we support Iraq's unity and territorial integrity, and we believe that the long-term security and prosperity of all Iraqis can only be met through dialogue and cooperation. The priority must remain the defeat of Daesh and returning stability to liberated areas.

Iraq: Kurds

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers of his Department have had with Kurdish political leaders from the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Alistair Burt: ​I spoke to Mr. Nechivan Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, on 17 October, whilst our Ambassador to Iraq and officials at our Consulate in Erbil are in regular contact with a number of Kurdish political leaders in the Kurdistan Regional Government. In these discussions we have made it clear that we believe the long-term security and prosperity of all Iraqis, including the Kurds, can only be met through dialogue and cooperation. We are urging all parties, including the Government of Iraq and Iraq’s neighbours, to promote calm.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Behavioural Insights Team

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2017 to Question 106810, on Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Behavioural Insights Team, how much funding has been allocated to  each of the projects listed.

Mark Field: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office spent the following amounts on each of the projects listed:In 2015-16Opening Prosperity: Innovating Mexico's largest social development programme (£51,592);Influencing Mexican public policy on security and justice with a focus on policing, justice and critical national infrastructure (£13,945);Using behavioural insights to improve workplace efficiency (£18,858).In 2016-17Opening Prosperity: Using mobile technologies, behavioural insights and policy expertise to deliver financial inclusion to Mexico's poorest (£95,584);Tackling the culture of corruption in Argentina, Colombia and Mexico (£219,594);Advice on using behavioural analysis as part of a full spectrum response to foreign policy issues (£40,798).In 2017-18Tackling the culture of corruption in Argentina, Colombia and Mexico (£30,654);Additionally in 2017-18, the FCO has allocated £39,667 to "Applying behavioural insights to encourage residents of Barrio 31, one of the poorest settlements in Buenos Aires, to engage with the formal economy". Activity on this project has started but not yet been paid for.

Saudi Arabia: Counter-terrorism

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Saudi Government on steps to agree a strategy for tackling international terrorism.

Alistair Burt: ​​​We have a vital national security interest in maintaining and developing our relationship with Saudi Arabia, including in how we work together to tackle regional threats. We work closely, and have regular discussions, on a range of areas; particularly counter-terrorism where UK-Saudi co-operation is vital. Intelligence we have received from Saudi Arabia has potentially saved British lives.We continue to work closely with Saudi Arabia to deny terrorist organisations the space in which to operate. Saudi Arabia is a key part of international efforts to defeat Daesh, including in the Global Coalition to defeat Daesh.

Sri Lanka: Human Rights

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Government of Sri Lanka on human rights and religious discrimination.

Mark Field: Her Majesty's Government remains firmly committed to the promotion of human rights and the protection of Freedom of Religion or Belief in all countries. During my recent visit to Colombo and Jaffna I raised the importance of the Sri Lankan​ Government implementing in full, its commitments under UN Human Rights Council Resolution 34/ 1, which reaffirms Resolution 30/1. Section 11 of this Resolution encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to investigate all attacks on members of religious minority groups and places of worship and hold perpetrators to account.Through our bilateral work we fund a project supporting the development of two District Inter-Religious Committees in the Eastern Province, which bring together community leaders from different faith groups to discuss and mediate local issues of concern. We regularly discuss these issues with the Government and faith groups, and use public statements and social media to promote tolerance.

Raif Badawi

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 16 October 2017 to Question 106251, on Raif Badawi, if he will publish (a) the dates of the meetings where the case of Raif Badawi was raised with Ministers of the Saudi Arabian Government and (b) whether the issue was raised by (i) Ministers and (ii) officials of his Department.

Alistair Burt: The UK continue to raise human rights with the Government of Saudi Arabia, including our concerns about Raif Badawi, at all levels. We believe we will be more successful in effecting change by discussing cases privately with Saudi Arabia rather than through public criticism.

Ascension Island

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when his Department expects to make an announcement on the UK strategy for the future of Ascension Island.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Minister for the Commonwealth and the UN is leading work within Whitehall to determine the future strategy for Ascension Island. This is significant and complex work, involving a range of interested parties, and the Minister will provide updates as soon as possible.​

Sayed Alwadaei

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Bahrain on its treatment of the family of Sayed Alawdaei.

Alistair Burt: The UK continues to encourage the Government of Bahrain to deliver on its international and domestic human rights commitments. We continue to follow these cases closely. We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the relevant human rights oversight bodies.

Cameroon: Politics and Government

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government has offered the English-speaking community in Cameroon in light of recent protests in that country.

Rory Stewart: The Government is deeply concerned by reports of deaths and injuries in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon, including reports that civilians were killed or injured by the security services during recent protests.I released a statement on 4 October expressing the Government's deep concern at the situation, urging restraint and calling on all parties to reject violence and to enter into dialogue to find urgent solutions to Anglophone grievances.Our High Commission in Yaoundé has been following events in the Anglophone regions closely and has met with opposition groups to discuss the challenges facing the country. Our High Commissioner has raised the need for dialogue, and for restraint with the Cameroonian authorities, underlining the importance of their obligations under international human rights law. He reiterated these points to Prime Minister Philémon Yang on 27 September and 10 October; to the Minister of Communication on 9 October; to ​the Minister of Defence, Director-General of Intelligence, and the Minister for Higher Education on 10 October; and the Minister for External Relations on 11 October. He put forward the United Kingdom's concerns in television interviews on 9 and 10 October.The situation in Cameroon remains tense, and we urge the Cameroonian Government to accept the United Nations' offer of help to support dialogue with the Anglophone community.

Israel: Immigration Controls

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of UK citizens who have been refused entry and deported by the Israeli Government as a direct result of amendment 27 of the Entry into Israel Law during the last 12 months.

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK citizens held in Israel's airport detention facilities have been provided with consular assistance by the UK embassy in Tel Aviv in the last 12 months.

Alistair Burt: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 25 October 2017.The correct answer should have been:

​The British Embassy is aware of two British Nationals who were denied entry as a direct result of amendment 27 in the last 12 months.In the last 12 months the British Embassy in Tel Aviv provided consular assistance to 25 British Nationals at the Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport detention facility.

Alistair Burt: ​The British Embassy is aware of two British Nationals who were denied entry as a direct result of amendment 27 in the last 12 months.In the last 12 months the British Embassy in Tel Aviv provided consular assistance to 25 British Nationals at the Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport detention facility.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office: Termination of Employment

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17, whether the one person who left the core department and the one person who left the departmental group were men or women.

Chloe Smith: Where there is fewer than five staff in any given category, we are unable to provide a breakdown by gender as to do so could lead to the identification of an individual.

Department for International Development

Israel: West Bank

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what UK-funded Palestinian structures have been demolished by Israel in Area C in the West Bank; and what the total cost is of those demolished structures.

Alistair Burt: No structures directly funded by the UK in recent years have been demolished. A number of structures funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) have been demolished in recent years. The UK’s financing share of EU expenditure varies year on year but has been approximately 15%. The UK regularly raises demolitions with the government of Israel.

Israel: West Bank

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of the level of funding from the public purse that had been spent on Palestinian structures in Area C of the West Bank that have been demolished by Israel.

Alistair Burt: No structures directly funded by the UK in recent years have been demolished. A number of structures funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) have been demolished in recent years. The UK’s financing share of EU expenditure varies year on year but has been approximately 15%. The UK regularly raises demolitions with the government of Israel.

Developing Countries: Malaria

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of instances of malaria on the UK's trade with developing countries.

Alistair Burt: Malaria is bad for business, investment and trade. It results in people having to take time off work because of illness, worker absenteeism, and reduced worker productivity. These effects slow economic growth in malaria-endemic countries and have an impact on their ability to trade with countries including the UK. Reducing malaria creates healthier, more productive workforces and generates benefits for entire economies, businesses, and individuals.The World Health Organisation estimates that global gains in lives saved, due to efforts to tackle malaria, were valued at US$2040 billion, which equates to 3.6% of the total gross domestic product (GDP) of malaria affected countries in 2015.

Developing Countries: Malaria

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the link between school-age education and malaria prevention in malaria-endemic countries.

Alistair Burt: Malaria can be a cause of children starting school late or missing school. As the second largest international funder to the global malaria response, DFID’s support is reducing the impact of malaria, which enables children to attend school regularly and learn more effectively. Provision of quality schooling has a positive impact on the uptake of malaria services.

Developing Countries: Malaria

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of progress towards the globally-agreed target to eliminate malaria in a further 10 countries by 2020.

Alistair Burt: Progress towards the Global Technical Strategy (GTS) country elimination milestone of eliminating malaria in at least ten countries is on track. In 2015, ten countries and areas reported fewer than 150 locally-acquired cases of malaria. A further nine countries reported between 150 and 1000 cases. DFID is the second largest international funder to the global malaria response.

Syria: Reconstruction

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate her Department has made of the potential cost of reconstruction work in Syria (a) to the public purse and (b) overall.

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what role the Government has in (a) assessing the level of reconstruction of homes, physical infrastructure and administrative systems required in Syria and (b) carrying out that reconstruction.

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate her Department has made of the timescale for (a) commencing reconstruction work in Syria and (b) the UK's involvement in that work.

Alistair Burt: While the conflict is ongoing, our priority is to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid to those affected. The UK will only provide support for reconstruction once a credible, genuine and inclusive political transition is firmly underway. It is not possible at present to accurately assess the costs of reconstruction.

Syria: Internally Displaced People

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what role the Government plans to play in facilitating the safe return home of internally displaced people in Syria; and what criteria will be used to establish whether their homes are safe enough to return to.

Alistair Burt: Following the liberation of Raqqa City, we are helping to clear landmines and explosives to enable those displaced to return to their homes there safely as soon as possible, however for the majority of internally displaced people to return home safely there must be an end to the conflict and a credible political settlement. This is the only viable path towards the peace and security that the Syrian people deserve. In the meantime, the UK is providing food, healthcare, water and other life-saving relief to vulnerable Syrians, including internally displaced people, across the country.

Developing Countries: Gems

Mr Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the 2013 meeting convened by the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute in co-operation with the Vienna International Justice Institute and the International Coloured Gemstone Association, what steps the Government is taking to promote the establishment of a mechanism for the traceability and certification of ethical origin of coloured gemstones; and if she will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The Government is supporting international efforts to promote ethical sourcing of minerals. We contributed to the development of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict Affected and High Risk Areas. We are a founding member of the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals, which works with industry and civil society to share best practice on mineral traceability and certification schemes. We are also working to improve the livelihoods of artisanal miners in Rwanda and Zimbabwe.

Department for Education

Carers

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that kinship carers have sufficient financial support.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Kinship carers’ access to financial support depends on the individual circumstances of the carer and the child. This includes whether the arrangement in place is formal or informal and whether a child in an informal arrangement is recognised as being ‘in need’ under s17 of the Children Act 1989.The Children Act 1989 sets out the duties and responsibilities of local authorities to support the needs of all children living with family and friends carers. Statutory guidance “Children Act 1989: family and friends care”, published during the last Parliament, strengthened the requirements on local authorities to support families and friends caring arrangements, including on financial support.The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-act-1989-family-and-friends-care.

Students: Loans

Mike Hill: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of the student loan system on the affordability of higher education for students from disadvantaged areas.

Joseph Johnson: The Government publishes Equality Analyses setting out the impact of the annual changes to student finance on protected and disadvantaged groups of students.The student finance system ensures upfront costs of tuition are not a barrier to accessing higher education. Eligible students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can apply for up-front fee loans to meet the full costs of their tuition.Full-time students from disadvantaged backgrounds also have access to the highest ever amounts of cash in hand loan support for their living costs. Monthly loan repayments are linked to income, not to interest rates or the amount borrowed.The current system has enabled record numbers of students to benefit from higher education with progress continuing to be made on widening participation. There are record numbers of people from disadvantaged backgrounds going to university. Universities and Colleges Admissions Service data shows young people from the most disadvantaged areas were 43% more likely to enter higher education in 2016 than they were in 2009. Provisional 2017 data shows the entry rate for 18 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds is already at a record high this year, significantly higher than at the end of the 2016 cycle.

Apprentices: West Midlands

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2017 to Question 106647, how many apprenticeships have been offered at Level 5 and above to people aged over 24 in the West Midlands in the last 12 months.

Anne Milton: Data on the number of apprenticeships offered is not held, but the number of apprenticeship starts is collected. Data for the provisional, full academic year 2016/17, shows there were 2,580 apprenticeship starts, at Level 5 and above for those aged 25 and above in the West Midlands region. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Open University: Cuba

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to lift the ban on applications from Cuban students to the Open University.

Joseph Johnson: I refer the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Toby Perkins) to the answer I gave on 12 September 2017 to Question 7842:http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-09-04/7842/.

Alternative Education

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department conducted a privacy impact assessment about the collection of data on pregnancy, health and mental health for the Alternative Provision Census 2018.

Nick Gibb: Where a child of compulsory school age would not receive suitable education because of illness, exclusion or any other reason, local authorities have a duty to provide suitable ‘alternative provision’ (AP). Although the AP provider understands the reason for the child’s placement, as does the responsible local authority, nationally very little is known about these AP placements and the children who need them. This is fundamental to understanding the effectiveness of the AP system to better target policy interventions and improve the quality of education provided to these children. Conducting a privacy impact assessment is not a legal requirement of the Data Protection Act. The changes to the AP census relate to information already required (and held) by local authorities during the process of commissioning placements in AP and do not require the collection of any additional information by local authorities or AP providers from the individuals. The AP census is a long-standing data collection with established protocols and processes in place for the handling, collection and disclosure of individual level information. As the AP census already collects a range of characteristic information about individuals, these additional items of information (about the same individuals) do not present any new privacy risks over and above those already present so a formal privacy impact assessment was not completed.

Alternative Education

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance and advice her Department plans to provide for data subjects and their parents on the alternative provision collection of pregnancy, health and mental health data from January 2018; and with and to whom those data will be shared and made accessible.

Nick Gibb: Where a child of compulsory school age would not receive suitable education because of illness, exclusion or any other reason, local authorities have a duty to provide suitable ‘alternative provision’ (AP). Although the AP provider understands the reason for the child’s placement, as does the responsible local authority, nationally very little is known about these AP placements and the children who need them. This is fundamental to understanding the effectiveness of the AP system to better target policy interventions and improve the quality of education provided to these children. As data controllers in their own right, it is important that local authorities and AP providers collect, process and store all data (not just that collected for the purposes of the Department data collections) in accordance with the relevant data protection regulations. Being transparent and providing accessible information to individuals about how their personal data will be used is a key element of both the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) and the upcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The most common way to provide this information is via a privacy notice. The Department provides template privacy notices that schools and local authorities can use. However, the notices must be reviewed and amended according to local needs and circumstances. The AP census guidance reminds data providers of their responsibilities in this area and provides links to the template notices.

Home Education: Standards

Mark Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that local authorities are able to guarantee an adequate education for home-schooled children.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Parents have a duty under section 7 of the Education Act 1996 to ensure that a child of compulsory school age receives an efficient and full-time education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude, and any special education needs - either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. ‘Otherwise’ includes education at home. Local councils have a duty under section 436A of the 1996 Act to identify so far as possible children who may not be receiving a suitable full-time education. This allows them to make informal enquiries of parents about the education provided. If a local authority is not satisfied that the education is suitable, it can begin a process of formal notice, asking the parents to satisfy them. If the local council remains dissatisfied it can issue a school attendance order which can result in prosecution if the parent does not comply.

Alternative Education

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussion she has had with (a) school leaders, (b) teachers and (c) the public on the expansion of the Alternative Provision school census to collect schoolchildren's (i) pregnancy, (ii) health and (iii) mental health data from January 2018.

Nick Gibb: Where a child of compulsory school age would not receive suitable education because of illness, exclusion or any other reason, local authorities have a duty to provide suitable ‘alternative provision’ (AP). Although the AP provider understands the reason for the child’s placement, as does the responsible local authority, nationally very little is known about these AP placements and the children who need them. This is fundamental to understanding the effectiveness of the AP system to better target policy interventions and improve the quality of education provided to these children. The AP census collects details of children in local authority commissioned AP in settings other than state place funded schools. As such, there was no need to consult directly with schools about these changes. These changes have been informed by research into the AP sector involving input from a sample of local authorities and AP providers and were also considered by sector representatives via the Star Chamber Scrutiny Board (SCSB) process.

Pupils: Personal Records

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the criteria is for refusing current and former school pupils subject access requests for personal confidential data in the National Pupil Database; and what steps she is taking to ensure that criteria complies with the General Data Protection Regulation.

Nick Gibb: Under section 7 of the Data Protection Act (DPA), an individual has the right to ask an organisation to provide them with personal confidential information they hold which identifies them and, in certain circumstances, a parent can make such a request on behalf of a child.A subject access request for personal confidential information may be refused if it falls within a statutory exemption. The Research, History and Statistics exemption (section 33(4) of the DPA), applies to personal data being processed for research, historical or statistical purposes. As the personal information that a pupil or parent has requested is held on the NPD for these purposes, it is exempt from release to the pupil or parent.The Department is undertaking a programme of work in preparation for General Data Protection Regulation coming into effect in May 2018. This will include a review of the policies and processes associated with Subject Access Requests.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education: Teachers

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) and Personal Social Health and Economic Education (PSHE) are unavailable as a free teacher subject specialism training course; if she will make it her policy to make those subjects available as a free teacher subject specialism training course; what steps she has taken to increase provision of teacher training on those subjects following recent legislative changes; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Department will be conducting a thorough engagement process on the scope and content of Relationships Education, relationships and sex education and personal, social, health and economic education, involving a wide range of interested stakeholders. This will have significant involvement of the teaching profession. As part of this process we will also consider subject content, school practice and quality of delivery. We will use this evidence to determine what support schools need to best prepare for these reforms. We will listen to schools about which options can best meet the training and development needs of teachers. We will set out shortly more details about the engagement process, and the work to consider age-appropriate subject content and support for schools.

Children: Social Services

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the implications for her Department are of the finding of the recent Action for Children's survey on the proportion of Conservative councillors who believe that long-term funding for children's services is a matter of major concern for their councils.

Mr Robert Goodwill: We recognise that local councils delivering children’s services are operating in a challenging fiscal environment and are making tough decisions about priorities. We are supporting them to do this in a number of ways: by 2020, we will be spending £6 billion per year on childcare, including £1 billion a year to deliver 30 hours of free childcare and increase our hourly funding rates;since 2014, we have invested £200 million in our Innovation and Partners In Practice Programmes to help local councils redesign their children’s services to achieve higher quality and better value for money;the Spending Review 2015 made available more than £200 billion to local councils for local services up to 2019-20 and local councils increased spending on children and young people’s services to over £9 billion in 2015-16. In addition, we are in the second year of an unprecedented four-year finance settlement, accepted by 97% of councils, this allows local councils to plan ahead with certainty. Funding for children’s services gives local councils the freedom to target resources flexibly to meet local need; andwe are committed to working alongside the sector to carry out the Department for Communities and Local Government led Fair Funding Review of how local government funding is distributed.

Adult Education: Liverpool

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to publish detailed guidance relating to the operational differences between the influencing role and the delegated model in relation to the interim options provided to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority on responsibility for the 2018-19 adult skills budget; and if she will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The Government will offer Mayoral Combined Authorities the oppotunity to shape their Adult Education Budgets (AEBs) in 2018/19. We are working closely with Mayoral Combined Authorities to help them prepare for devolution of the AEB in 2019/20, including the proposed 2018/19 transitional year. The Mayoral Combined Authorities have been consulted with regards to the interim options available and the details of these will be communicated within the next few weeks.

Children: Day Care

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children on the 30 free hours of childcare scheme are attending (a) maintained nursery and primary schools and (b) private, voluntary and independent provision.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The number of children taking up the 30 hour offer in maintained nursery schools, primary schools and the private, voluntary and independent sector will be collected in January 2018 and published in the statistical first release ‘Education provision: children under 5 years of age’ in June/July 2018.

Children: Day Care

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2017 to Question 108604, on children: day care, whether her Department plans to collect the relevant information in future; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The number of children with special education needs or a disability taking up the 30 hour’ entitlement will be collected in the January 2018 Early Years Census and published in the ‘Education provision: children under 5 years of age’ statistical first release in June/July 2018. We do not collect data on whether parents are applying for 30 hours for a child with special educational needs or a disability because it is not part of the eligibility criteria. This means we are unable to identify which codes have been issued or validated for parents of children with special educational needs or a disability.

Children: Day Care

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) childminders and (b) group-based childcare settings rated good or outstanding by Ofsted have joined the Early Years Register in each month of the last three years.

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) childminders and (b) group-based childcare settings rated good or outstanding by Ofsted have withdrawn from the Early Years Register in each month of the last three years.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Ofsted is the non-ministerial government department responsible for the regulation of early education and childcare providers. They publish a regular series of statistics relating to early years’ providers, which can be viewed from this link:https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted/about/statistics.I have informed Ofsted of these two questions and Her Majesty's Chief Inspector will be writing to the hon. Member in response. A copy of that letter will be placed in the libraries of the House.

Pre-school Education

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2017 to Question 108588, on pre-school education, which local authorities have been given authorisation to modify the operation of Regulation 22, the 93 per cent pass-through requirement, for 2017-18.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Secretary of State has approved to modify the operation of Regulation 22 (the 93% pass-through requirement) for 2017-18 for the following local authorities: Brent, Camden, Islington, Tower Hamlets and Wandsworth.

Teachers: Training

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2017 to Question 108025, on Teachers: training, what evidence supports her Department's assertion that the number of new teachers continues to outnumber those who retire or leave.

Nick Gibb: The Department publishes statistics on the size of the school workforce each year. The latest statistics were published in June 2017 in the ‘School Workforce in England: November 2016’ statistical release: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2016. Table 7b shows the time series, from 2011 to 2016, of the full-time equivalent number of teacher entrants and the full-time equivalent number of teachers leaving. The statistics show that between November 2015 and November 2016, 43,830 full-time equivalent qualified teachers entered our classrooms (this includes newly qualified teachers, qualified teachers returning to the profession after a career break and experienced qualified teachers working in state funded schools for the first time). This represents a teacher entrant rate of 10.1%. During the same period, 42,830 full-time equivalent qualified teachers left state funded schools (this includes those retiring, those leaving the profession early and those taking a career break and who may come back at a later date). This represents a teacher leavers rate of 9.9%. Table 7b shows that the qualified teacher entrant rate has been higher than the qualified teacher leavers rate throughout the period 2011 to 2016.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Repatriation

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoner transfers have taken place in each of the last five years between the UAE and the UK.

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many successful prisoner transfers have taken place in each of the last five years between the UAE and the UK.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Prisoner Transfer Agreement between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was signed on 24 January 2013 and entered into force on 3 February 2014. The agreement provides for the voluntary transfer of an individual and requires the consent of both governments involved, as well as that of the prisoner concerned. To date, no prisoners have been transferred under this agreement.

Prime Minister

Yemen: Armed Conflict

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Prime Minister, if she raised the matter of casualties in the Yemen conflict during her discussions with the Saudi Arabian Minister for Foreign Affairs in September 2017.

Mrs Theresa May: I refer the hon. Member to the press release issued on 4 September following my meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir and which is available on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-meeting-with-saudi-foreign-minister-adel-al-jubeir-4-september-2017

Ministry of Defence

Caribbean: Military Bases

Sir Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the feasibility of establishing a permanent naval facility in one of the Caribbean Overseas Territories.

Mark Lancaster: As in previous years, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) pre-positioned a naval ship in the Caribbean at the beginning of the Hurricane season so as to be able to respond quickly to any extreme weather event. Following the support she provided during Hurricanes Irma and Maria, RFA Mounts Bay will remain in the region for the rest of the Hurricane season. The MOD will be contributing to cross Whitehall work being led by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to consider proposals to increase the resilience of the UK's Overseas Territories in the aftermath of extreme weather.

Caribbean: Armed Forces

Sir Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military personnel have been deployed to the Caribbean as a result of Hurricane Irma; and what estimate he has made of the cost of that deployment.

Mark Lancaster: At the peak of the military response there were over 2,000 military personnel deployed to the Caribbean. The costs of the Defence response, elements of which are ongoing, are being compiled. We will recover the majority of our additional costs from the cross-Government fund established for the activity.

USA: Nuclear Weapons

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the occasions on which US nuclear warheads have been transferred to British submarines.

Harriett Baldwin: Since the introduction of the Trident Strategic Weapon System in 1994, no US nuclear warhead has been transferred to a Royal Navy submarine. Records prior to 1994 are not held centrally and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Amphibious Vehicles

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to enhance the Royal Navy's amphibious forces as set out in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Mark Lancaster: The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 made provision to augment the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers and maximise their ability to support amphibious operations. Prior to the carriers being brought into service, other Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships will continue to provide support to amphibious operations.

United Arab Emirates: Armed Forces

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK personnel from each of the armed forces are stationed in the United Arab Emirates.

Mark Lancaster: As of 25 October 2017, there were 229 UK military personnel stationed in the United Arab Emirates. This is broken down, by Service, below:Royal Navy: 50British Army: 37Royal Air Force: 145

Hawk Aircraft

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the construction dates are of each of the Hawk TMk1 training aircraft in the Royal Air Force Fleet.

Harriett Baldwin: The construction dates for each of the Hawk TMk1 training aircraft in the Royal Air Force fleet are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, however the aircraft were manufactured between the mid-1970s and mid-1980s.

Red Arrows

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much (a) accrued to the public purse and (b) was made for charity in paid-for displays and flypasts by the Red Arrows in (i) their recent tour of the Middle East and (ii) each fiscal year for which figures are available.

Harriett Baldwin: Information about the Red Arrows display income for financial years 2015-16 to 2017-18 is provided below. Information prior to 2015-16 is not readily available. Financial YearAmount £0002015-164252016-176002017-18442 We do not hold information about income earned by charity organisations who have paid for displays or flypasts.

Red Arrows

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the maintenance costs of the Red Arrows per flying hour per aircraft have been in each of the last five years.

Harriett Baldwin: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Red Arrows

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral contribution by the Leader of the House of 19 October 2017, Official Report, column 1023, whether replacement aircraft for the Red Arrows are drawn from the fleet of 75 Hawk T1 aircraft; and whether those aircraft require an engine upgrade before use by the Red Arrows.

Harriett Baldwin: Aircraft for the Red Arrows are drawn from the effective fleet of Hawk T1 aircraft. There is no requirement to upgrade the engine, however, engine fuel control units are modified for Red Arrows use to increase the engine responsiveness.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many work coaches there are in each jobcentre in which universal credit has been rolled out; how many claimants each work coach is responsible for; where those work coaches are based; and how many work coaches will be appointed in Preston when universal credit is rolled out in that parliamentary constituency.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of full-time equivalent work coaches who will be based at Cofa Court Jobcentre when universal credit is rolled out in Coventry South constituency.

Damian Hinds: Holding answer received on 24 October 2017



Universal Credit is available to all new claims from single jobseekers across Great Britain and couples and families in some jobcentre areas. As at August 2017 there were around 12,500 work coaches across the jobcentre network and working across all benefits. The number of work coaches will change in line with demand and we expect there to be more in every nation and region by 2020. The number of work coaches and the size of their caseload will vary as it is dependent on a number of factors, including the level of customer support required and the needs of the local labour market. The digital service continues to develop iteratively, with claimants able to increasingly self-serve and interact digitally with their work coach and case manager.

Jobcentres: Sheffield

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the proposed closure of the Eastern Avenue Jobcentre on the roll-out of universal credit in Sheffield.

Damian Hinds: I refer the honourable member to the answer I gave to question 3962 on 17 July 2017, and again more recently to question 106232 on 11 October 2017.

Universal Credit: North West

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time for payment of an award of universal credit is in (a) the North West and (b) Warrington.

Damian Hinds: There is no data broken down by area or region. However, data published on 15 September 2017 shows that, nationally, 81% of new full service claims received their first payment in full and on time. Across the whole of Universal Credit 92% of all households received full payment on time. The published data can be found here.https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/universal-credit-payment-timeliness-january-to-june-2017

Employment Schemes

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been helped to (a) remain in and (b) return to work by the Fuller Working Lives initiative in (i) the UK, (ii) Wales and (iii) Aberavon.

Damian Hinds: The data requested is not held, however the number of older workers in the UK is at a record high, currently there are 10 million workers aged 50 years and over. 8.8 million individuals aged 50-64 are in employment; an increase of over 1 million people compared to five years ago. There are 1.2 million individuals in employment aged 65 and over. Employment rates for older workers have also been increasing and have recently reached record highs. In the past ten years, the employment rate for people aged 50-64 has increased by 6.2 percentage points (from 64.9% in 2007 to 71.1% in 2017). The employment rate for individuals aged 65 and over has almost doubled to 10.1% now, from 5.1% twenty years ago. Further information on estimates of employment, unemployment, economic inactivity and other employment-related statistics for the UK can be found in the “UK labour market: October 2017” statistical bulletin published at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) website:https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/october2017 Further information on labour market statistics for separate UK countries, as well as local areas, can be found at the NOMIS website:https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/ The Government is committed to supporting people aged 50 years and over to remain in and return to work; the ‘Fuller Working Lives: A Partnership Approach’ strategy was published on 2nd February. This, crucially, is led by employers, but it also sets out the case for action by individuals, and the role of Government in supporting them in planning their careers and their approach to retirement. The Strategy and supporting evidence base are available at the attached web address:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuller-working-lives-a-partnership-approach Analysis on the headline measures that the government uses to monitor progress on Fuller Working Lives can be found in this statistical release:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/economic-labour-market-status-of-individuals-aged-50-and-over-trends-over-time-september-2017

Unemployment: North East

Mr Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans the Government has to tackle youth unemployment in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Gateshead and (d) the north east.

Damian Hinds: The number of young unemployed claimants is continuing to fall. The proportion of young people (aged 16-24) who are unemployed and not in full time education is at a new record low of 4.8% and the youth claimant count has fallen by around 57% in Jarrow, 53% in South Tyneside and 49% in Gateshead since 2010. As planned, we have also introduced the Youth Obligation to provide intensive support for 18-21 year olds making a new claim to Universal Credit full service from April 2017. We are rolling out the Youth Obligation in line with the roll-out schedule for Universal Credit full service across the north-east. As such, a number of sites in the north-east are already able to provide claimants with more intensive support through the Youth Obligation, Gateshead included. Remaining sites in the north-east will continue to be rolled-on to the Youth Obligation aligned with the schedule of Universal Credit full service, including Jarrow, which is expected to deliver the Youth Obligation from February 2018.

Veterans: Means-tested Benefits

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will introduce a disregard for Armed Forces Pensions when considering the eligibility for income-related benefits for former members of the Armed Forces.

Damian Hinds: Income related benefits already partially disregard War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments for injuries and bereavement. With the introduction of Universal Credit, we have gone a step further and ensured that War Pensions and all Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments are fully disregarded in the assessment of income for Universal Credit. Income related benefits are designed to provide support for people who do not have other income to meet the same need such as occupational pensions. The Government has no plans to introduce a disregard for Armed Forces Pensions when considering the eligibility for income-related benefits for former members of the Armed Forces.

Universal Credit: Payments

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 17 October 2017 to Question 106977, on universal credit, what estimate he has made of the number of weeks a successful claimant will wait before receiving their first payment in those areas where the roll-out will begin on 29 November 2017; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 17 October 2017 to Question 106977, on universal credit, what support his Department will provide over the Christmas period to claimants of universal credit in areas where full roll-out will start on 29 November 2017 and who are ineligible for an advance payment; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 17 October 2017 to Question 106977, on universal credit, what the enhanced functionality and faster payment contingency function in universal credit are designed to deliver; and if he will make a statement.

Damian Hinds: The assessment period and payment structure of Universal Credit creates a fixed period between date of entitlement and the first payment. The policy intent is that claimants receive the first payment 5 to 6 weeks after they make their claim. To ensure people have money over the festive period the Department will conduct a careful assessment of technical system and banking system availability to ensure successful payments can be made ahead of Bank Holidays. This year we have enhanced the functionality and added a faster payment function. The faster payment function in Universal Credit ensures that where there are insufficient banking days between the issuance of a UC payment via BACS and the date it is due, the service instead issues the payment using faster payment functionality automatically. This ensures that the UC award is paid to the claimant on time. This function additionally supports claimants receiving an advance payment and therefore no additional support will be required for new claimants over the festive period in respect of new claim advances. Our current and strengthened approach to UC advance payments ensures that awareness is heightened with our claimants, and staff are ensuring that these are offered to claimants in need. It would be highly unlikely for a Universal Credit Full Service new claimant to find themselves ineligible for an advance once they have verified their identity.

Employment and Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payment

Ian C. Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list examples of co-operation between his Department and charitable or private sector providers on personal independence payments or employment and support allowance by parliamentary constituency.

Penny Mordaunt: The Department works with many charitable and private sector providers.  Examples within each parliamentary constituency could only be provided at disproportionate costs

Employment and Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payment: Appeals

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department has issued to decision-makers on the process for receiving employment and support allowance and personal independence payment cases pending tribunal where concerns are highlighted about a decision.

Penny Mordaunt: The guidance issued to decision makers when considering an ESA or PIP appeal to the First-tier Tribunal reflects the law. It explains (in summary) that ESA can continue to be paid pending the tribunal hearing, provided the appealed decision is not based on a second consecutive failed Work Capability Assessment determination. It further explains that if payment pending appeal is not available, then a further claim for ESA can be made anyway but payment would only be made where the claimant’s condition has deteriorated or they present with a new condition. There is no entitlement to PIP pending the tribunal hearing. A further claim can be made before the appeal is decided – the same decision making process applies to this claim as it did to the previous claim.

Social Security Benefits

Lesley Laird: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of claimants have additional (a) support needs and (b) employment or training needs.

Damian Hinds: This specific information is not available. However as of September 2017 there were 804,000 unemployment related claimants (Claimant Count, ONS); 53,700 Universal Credit (UC) claimants with no work requirements; 10,000 UC claimants with planning for work conditionality and 12,900 UC claimants preparing for work (DWP statistics). In addition as of February 2017 there were 2.4 million incapacity related claimants (Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit); 610,000 Income Support claimants and 810,000 Carer’s Allowance claimants receiving payment (DWP statistics). [Sources:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk;https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dwp-statistical-summaries-2017https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/outofworkbenefits/datasets/claimantcountcla01]

Department for Work and Pensions: Redundancy

Lesley Laird: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of staff in his Department who will be made redundant (a) voluntarily and (b) compulsorily as a result of office closures across the Department's estate.

Damian Hinds: Through changes to our estate to reduce roughly 30% of the space we currently occupy we have sought to minimise the impact on employees wherever possible. As a result of our plans around 800 employees have been designated at as at risk of redundancy. Through redeployment activity we have identified alternative roles for around 350 of those at risk and currently the number remaining at risk of redundancy is around 450. We are continuing redeployment activity and therefore the number at risk may still reduce further. Offers of voluntary redundancy will be made to those remaining at risk of redundancy through November 2017. It is not possible to determine numbers who may be at risk of compulsory redundancy until voluntary offers have been made and accepted or declined.

Social Security Benefits

Lesley Laird: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what additional support his Department provides to claimants in response to their individual circumstances, including, but not limited to, any health conditions, disabilities and caring responsibilities.

Penny Mordaunt: Claimants are provided with personalised support, based on their individual circumstances. This includes tailored support from a work coach on a one-to-one basis, with additional work-related support and financial assistance, provided through Jobcentre Plus or specialist providers. Work coaches will also signpost to appropriate locally delivered provision.

Jobcentres: Wolverhampton

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what extra resources his Department plans to provide to Wolverhampton Molineux House Jobcentre Plus to enable it better to support people claiming universal credit.

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of whether Wolverhampton Molineux House Jobcentre Plus requires extra staff to deal with the roll-out of universal credit.

Damian Hinds: I refer the Member to the answer I gave in response to PQ 107132 on 26 October 2017.

Universal Credit: Wolverhampton North East

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in Wolverhampton North East constituency who will qualify for universal credit after the roll-out is complete.

Damian Hinds: We do not hold this information as we do not break it down by area.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2017 to Question 105394, on social security benefits: disqualification, what mechanisms his Department uses to determine the potential effect of benefit sanctions on food bank use.

Damian Hinds: My Department has no plans to collect or publish this data.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of benefits claims are reinstated on mandatory reconsideration.

Damian Hinds: The information requested is not available. Although the Department holds data on the percentage of original decisions upheld at Mandatory Reconsideration (MR), the Department does not hold data on the percentage of claims reinstated as a result of a MR.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of benefits claims are reinstated on appeal by a tribunal.

Damian Hinds: The Department for Work and Pensions does not hold data on the percentage of benefit claims that are reinstated on appeal by a tribunal.

Universal Credit

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of universal credit recipients have an alternative payment agreement in place.

Damian Hinds: The latest official statistics on Managed Payment to Landlord Alternative Payment Arrangements are published at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/universal-credit-29-apr-2013-to-10-aug-2017 .

Universal Credit

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of universal credit recipients have an advance payment agreement.

Damian Hinds: The latest statistics on Universal Credit Advances were published on 02 October 2017 which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/universal-credit-payment-advances-may-2016-to-june-2017

Universal Credit

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department provides to individual claimants and Jobcentre Plus work coaches specifically on universal credit advance payments and alternative payment arrangements.

Damian Hinds: Work coaches are trained to offer personal budgeting support and discuss whether claimants need help to manage until their first Universal Credit payment. The work coach will discuss with the claimant whether an advance payment of Universal Credit or an alternate payment arrangement of rent to their landlord is suitable. The guidance for work coaches has been refreshed for new claims advances, change of circumstances advances, benefit transfer advances and budgeting advances. It gives an overview and sets out the elements of the Personal Budgeting Support, also eligibility and advice on how and when Alternative Payment Arrangements can apply. It also refers to making claimants aware that they are able to claim the maximum advance and are able to repay at the maximum repayment period. The Department has undertaken recent work to raise awareness of advances nationally, including providing options on the UC Helpline, and signposting through the new “Universal Credit & you” guide for claimants. The UC helpline and guide also provide information on alternate payment arrangements.

Department for Work and Pensions: Telephone Services

Carol Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support he plans to make available for customers who have already incurred significant telephone charges through contacting his Department about their benefit claims.

Caroline Dinenage: The administrative process of identifying and compensating call charges retrospectively would present an unacceptable cost to the tax payer.

Post Office Card Account

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what type of payments his Department is asking people to have paid into a bank, building society or credit union account rather than a Post Office account.

Guy Opperman: Direct Payment into a bank, building society or credit union account is the preferred way to make all government payments. A cross-governmental dedicated Freephone service has been set up within the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). DWP is writing to some Post Office card account users in receipt of DWP, HMRC and Department for Communities (Northern Ireland) payments.

Post Office Card Account

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons his Department is asking people to have their state pension paid into a bank, building society or credit union account rather than a Post Office account.

Guy Opperman: The Post Office card account (POca) was introduced in 2003 as a very simple service through which pension and benefits can be paid. It was always intended as a stepping stone into mainstream banking, and financial inclusion, while customers got used to elements of banking. There are now fewer barriers to prevent people, who do not have an existing account, from accessing and using one. Importantly as most bank accounts can be accessed at the post office it doesn’t need to change how or where they collect their money. Additionally, POca is expensive to administer and as we deal with public funds we have a duty to use the most cost-effective method for issuing customer payments - which is into a bank, building society or credit union account.

Post Office Card Account

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many letters his Department has issued asking people to have their state pension or benefits paid into a bank, building society or credit union account rather than a Post Office account.

Guy Opperman: Since September 2015 the Department has written to around 900,000 DWP, HMRC and Department for Communities (DfC) Post Office card account users about receiving their pension or benefit payments into a bank, building society or credit union account

Post Office Card Account

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which areas of the country have been targeted by his Department for letters asking people to have their state pension or benefits paid into a bank, building society or credit union account rather than a Post Office account.

Guy Opperman: Letters are issued randomly across the UK with no geographical targeting.

Universal Credit: PAYE

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2017 to Question 107475, on PAYE, what assessment he has made of the effect of real-time information delays on the accuracy of universal credit payment calculations.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2017 to Question 107475, on PAYE, how many and what proportion of cases reported late under real time information related to universal credit in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Damian Hinds: Real Time Information (RTI) is working very well. This method of sharing information is allowing us to run a welfare system that is responsive to changes in earnings and helps us identify cases of fraud. We are aware that a very small percentage of Universal Credit households have been affected by late reporting of RTI. Late data will only impact a Universal Credit claimant where the information is received after the date of an assessment period. Less than 1% of Universal Credit claimants raise issue about RTI information, most of the queries are resolved by explaining how the claim has been calculated.

Universal Credit: PAYE

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department calculates the payment for a universal credit claimant in the event that it requires PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) and RTI data is not available.

Damian Hinds: If a Universal Credit claimant is working we receive details of their earnings through our Real Time Information (RTI) link into HMRC PAYE. If RTI data is not received we do not take earnings into account. If this data is not received in the following Assessment Period, payment is suspended and the claimant is asked to self-report earnings.

Office for Nuclear Regulation

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2017 to Question 108257, if the reduction in the grant to the Office for Nuclear Regulation in 2019-20 will take place.

Penny Mordaunt: The bulk of the income received by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) is from charges to industry. The grant made available by the Department to cover statutory activity, for which the ONR cannot charge industry, is planned to decrease in line with ONR’s intention to reduce its reliance on the grant and the Spending Review 2015 Settlement. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will allocate ONR the funding necessary to set up a domestic civil nuclear safeguards regime on leaving Euratom.

Attendance Allowance

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons the qualifying period for attendance allowance is six months.

Penny Mordaunt: Attendance Allowance provides financial support to severely disabled people who require long-term care or supervision. Although some disabling conditions may appear to be long-term at their onset, this is not always so. The six-month qualifying period helps establish that the disability and the resulting care or supervision needs are of a long-term nature, and ensures the benefit goes to those for whom it is intended. When awarding a claim, the Decision Maker will look at whether, and for how long, the severely disabled person has required the necessary level of care or supervision before the date of claim, and consider whether some or all of the qualifying period has already been completed. For people who have a progressive disease and are not expected to live longer than another six months, there is no requirement to meet the 6 month qualifying period.

Food Banks

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2017 to Question 62617, on food poverty, whether the usage of food banks has changed in places where universal credit has been rolled out; and if he will make a statement.

Damian Hinds: This Department has made no assessment of recent trends in food bank use and has no plans to collect or publish statistics.

Post Office Card Account

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what advice his Department provides to vulnerable customers switching from a Post Office Card account to a bank account in order to manage their benefits and tax credit payments.

Guy Opperman: A dedicated telephone service has been set up and aims to support Post Office card account users, who can, into mainstream banking. Customers who receive a letter about how their payments are made can call free to ask questions and if required will be provided with information to help them choose an account that’s right for their circumstances. This could include continuing to receive payments into their POca, as while the majority of pension and benefit payments are paid into a bank account some customers, including those who are vulnerable, may remain unable to use or access such services.

Universal Credit

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse to date of the IT system supporting universal credit.

Damian Hinds: The overall investment cost forecast for Universal Credit development reduced to £1.7 billion in the Outline Business Case (OBC) from an earlier forecast of £2.4bn; demonstrating the on-going cost control focus of the Programme. As part of that overall investment cost the Programme has spent around £500m of investment in IT related expenditure up to September 2017 to support the delivery of Universal Credit. Our latest estimate of the whole life costs, the costs of investment plus the costs of running the system every year from 2015/16 to 2024/25 is £13.6bn, a reduction of £2.4bn from the previous estimate.

Universal Credit

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2017 to Question 108338, on universal credit, what information his Department holds on split payments for universal credit.

Damian Hinds: We do not have data that has been quality assured

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to examine the effectiveness of the Phage and PCR tests for the testing of cattle for bovine TB.

George Eustice: Defra has provided financial and other support for research on a number of candidate diagnostic tests for M. bovis, the causative agent of tuberculosis in cattle, and continues to do so. Neither the Phage nor PCR tests are currently validated to OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) level for use in diagnosing TB in bovine species. If and when the manufacturers validate their tests we would consider their official use in TB control. In exceptional circumstances, non-validated tests may be carried out on bovine species under strict criteria with the approval of the Secretary of State. This allows diagnostic companies to undertake the work required to validate the test. The PCR test used in this instance is the same as that previously used to detect M. bovis in badger faeces and a comprehensive assessment of the PCR test (Defra study SE3289) indicated that this PCR test was not suitable for use in TB surveillance activities in wildlife. Until the PCR test is validated for use in cattle it is difficult to determine the percentages of truly TB-infected and TB-free animals that are correctly identified by this method.

Rivers: Biodiversity

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the preservation of local rivers as a habitat for a diverse ecology.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: In England, River Basin Management Plans provide the framework for protecting and improving the water environment and focus on the period 2016 to 2021. The Plans for England confirm over £3 billion of investment by 2021, leading to improvements in at least 680 water bodies, including an overall target to enhance at least 8000km of waters by 2021 taking account of progress that has been made and the best evidence then on what can be achieved by 2027.Over the last two decades there have been significant improvements in water quality, and rivers which were biologically dead are now thriving. Independent analysis of Environment Agency data by the University of Cardiff in 2014 demonstrated that organisms dependent on cleaner waters, faster flows and high oxygen concentrations have been progressively recolonizing Britain's urban rivers over a 20 year period. Atlantic salmon, mayflies, and dippers are prime examples.

Air Pollution

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the allocation criteria to local authorities for the revised air quality plan will be.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: £255 million has been allocated as an implementation fund to assist local authorities in carrying out feasibility studies and delivering their local plans. These will focus on supporting the development and implementation of measures to deliver compliance in the shortest possible time. The Government will assess these local plans to ensure they are effective, fair, good value and deliver the necessary air quality compliance. Legally binding directions require the 23 local authorities identified for the first time in the plan to produce initial plans by 31 March 2018 with final plans by 31 December 2018.

Air Pollution

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish the revised air quality plans.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government published the revised UK plan for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations on 26 July 2017, which is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/air-quality-plan-for-nitrogen-dioxide-no2-in-uk-2017.

Floods: Colne Valley

Thelma Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) residential properties and (b) businesses have been flooded in the Colne Valley in each year since 2010.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Kirklees Council has advised the Environment Agency that approximately 20 residential properties and one business have been flooded in the Colne Valley since 2010. This includes flooding from all sources.

Fly-tipping

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will appoint a national fly-tipping tsar with responsibility for co-ordinating with national agencies on tackling serious organised criminal gangs, monitoring and reporting on the scale of the problem across public and private land and benchmarking enforcement performance across all relevant agencies.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Tackling fly-tipping is a Government priority. We recently introduced fixed penalty notices of up to £400 for small-scale fly-tipping to give local authorities an alternative to prosecutions and enable them to take a more proportionate enforcement response. We have also enhanced local authorities’ and the Environment Agency’s ability to search and seize vehicles of suspected fly-tippers and cracked down on offenders by strengthening the Sentencing Council’s Guideline for fly-tipping offences. As part of our waste and resource strategy, we are developing further proposals to tackle fly-tipping. We will enhance partnership working and intelligence sharing between Government agencies and local landowners. Through the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group we are also working to improve reporting of fly-tipping on private land to better target enforcement, and support local authorities and the Environment Agency to investigate fly-tipping incidents on private land.

Fly-tipping

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to work with local authorities to permit private landowners to dispose of fly-tipped waste free of charge at local authority waste sites.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: All private landowners are responsible for dealing with waste that is dumped on their land. We expect all local authorities to investigate fly-tipping incidents on private land and prosecute the fly-tippers when there is sufficient evidence. On conviction, a cost order can be made by the court so that a landowner’s costs can be recovered from the perpetrator. Through the National Fly-tipping Prevention Group we provide advice and guidance to landowners and businesses on measures they can take to prevent fly-tipping on their land. I will raise charging at local authority waste sites in my next meeting with the Local Government Association.

Agriculture: UK Trade with EU

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many different trade scenarios between the UK and the EU his Department has used to conduct analysis on the potential effect on UK agriculture of the UK leaving the EU.

George Eustice: We are conducting rigorous analysis of the full range of UK-EU trade scenarios on UK agriculture as part of our planning. Other organisations have also conducted external analysis of future trading scenarios and their potential impact on the sector. The UK will have an independent trade policy and a new agriculture policy to replace the Common Agricultural Policy. The impact of the UK’s leaving the EU on British agriculture will thus depend not just on the shape of a UK-EU trade agreement but also on the Government’s future trade and agriculture policies.

Slaughterhouses: Animal Welfare

Sir Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses on animal welfare.

George Eustice: We have recently publicly consulted on our manifesto commitment that there should be mandatory CCTV recording in slaughterhouses in all areas where live animals are present. The consultation closed on 21 September and we are aiming to set out the Government’s response to the consultation in late autumn, in advance of laying secondary legislation before Parliament in early 2018.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Local Government: Press Releases

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on how many occasions his Department has issued draft press releases to local authorities for them to complete using local statistics since May 2015.

Mr Marcus Jones: My Department does not routinely record information pertaining to draft press releases.

Right to Buy Scheme

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress is being made on the roll-out of voluntary right to buy.

Alok Sharma: Holding answer received on 19 October 2017



I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 3273 on 10 July 2017.

Housing: Disability

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of specially adapted homes in the (a) North West and (b) UK so that people with complex care needs can live independently for longer.

Mr Marcus Jones: Local authorities, across the North West and wider UK, are best placed to understand the housing needs in their area. National policy sets out clearly the need for local planning authorities to plan for the housing needs of all members of the community and it is for individual authorities to work closely with key partners and local communities in deciding what type of housing is needed to meet local need.Supported housing supports many vulnerable people, including those with disabilities, to live independently. That is why we have committed to providing £400 million of funding announced in the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme 2016-2021 to deliver affordable homes for the vulnerable, elderly and those with disabilities. Furthermore, the Department of Health has committed £224.5 million to date through the Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund.We have also increased funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant which can contribute to the cost of adapting a property for those with a disability or a care need. The Disabled Facilities Grant funding for England for 2017-18 is £431 million. Funding will rise to £468 million next year, and to over £500 million by 2020.

Social Services: Finance

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the level of funding required for local authority spending on social care in the period to 2020.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Government periodically assesses resourcing requirements for local government as part of each Spending Review. In addition to the package announced at the 2015 Spending Review and the 2017-18 local Government Finance Settlement, the 2017 Spring Budget provided £2 billion of new funding to support social care. As a result of measures introduced by the Government since 2015, councils had access of up to £9.25 billion more dedicated funding for social care in the 3 years to 2019-20.

Local Government Finance: Greater London

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to review the local government funding settlement in order to ensure parity of funding per head of population between London boroughs.

Mr Marcus Jones: We are currently undertaking a Fair Funding Review to address concerns about the fairness of current funding distributions to local authorities. There have been widespread calls for a thorough, evidence-based Review, and this we plan to deliver.

Local Government Finance

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to review the criteria for the local government funding settlement to ensure that it includes (a) up to date information on population growth and (b) levels of deprivation in each local authority area.

Mr Marcus Jones: Through the Fair Funding Review we are working closely with the Local Government Association and representatives from across local government to ensure that we consider all the issues that impact on authorities’ relative need to spend on services and their capacity to fund these from local resources.Amongst the issues we will consider are the impact of population growth, deprivation, and specific geographical factors such as rurality and area-related costs.

Non-domestic Rates

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2017 to Question 106733, on non-domestic rates, from what date the data presented in that Answer is accurate.

Mr Marcus Jones: The information referenced in my previous answer was first published on 13 October 2017 and was based on information provided by local authorities. It has been amended and is updated on a regular basis as authorities advise us that they have begun to rebill for each of the relief schemes. It was last updated on 23 October and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-relief-schemes-2017-rebilling-progress

Non-domestic Rates: Valuation

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the cost to the public purse was of the most recent business rates revaluation; whether his Department has made an estimate of the cost of carrying out a business rate revaluation annually; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is an executive agency of HMRC and is responsible for delivering the business rates revaluation. The VOA does not report on a separate cost specifically attributed to the revaluation. The Agency’s most recent annual report and accounts are available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/valuation-office-agency-annual-report-and-accounts-2016-2017The Government aims to move to more frequent business rates revaluations. We are pressing ahead with this work and will announce our plans in due course.

Planning Permission

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether it is his policy to support the use of binding local referenda for major planning decisions.

Alok Sharma: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Fracking: Planning Permission

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether it is his policy to ensure that major shale planning decisions are the responsibility of the National Planning Regime.

Alok Sharma: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Scotland Office

Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Barnett consequential funding as a result of the financial support the Government made available to Northern Ireland.

David Mundell: I have regular discussions with members of the Cabinet, including the Chancellor on a wide range of issues. The procedure for funding the devolved administrations is set out in the Statement of Funding Policy; the Barnett Formula applies to changes in UK Government spend on devolved matters in England. The decision to allocate extra resource to Northern Ireland has resulted in no change to UK Government spend in England and therefore there are no Barnett consequentials. While there are no Barnett consequentials for Scotland or Wales, they will continue to receive direct investment from the UK Government to support growth. Since 2014, the UK Government has committed over £1bn of investment in Scotland and Wales through City Deals, and the government is committed to further City Deals in both nations.

Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the effect of Northern Ireland's additional funding on the operation of the Barnett Formula.

David Mundell: The procedure for funding the devolved administrations is set out in the Statement of Funding Policy; the Barnett Formula applies to changes in UK Government spend on devolved matters in England.

HM Treasury

Revenue and Customs: Occupational Health

John McDonnell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2017 to Question 5903, what the average cost to HM Revenue and Customs of a referral for occupational health advice has been in the last 12 months.

Mel Stride: I refer the Hon Member to the answer that I gave on 20 October 2017 to the Hon Member for Glasgow South West (107471).

Data Protection: EU Law

John McDonnell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what preparatory work is being undertaken by HM Revenue and Customs in respect of the General Data Protection Regulation.

Mel Stride: I refer the Hon Member to the answer that I gave on 20 October 2017 to the Hon Member for Glasgow South West (107616).

Revenue and Customs: Disciplinary Proceedings

John McDonnell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 113 of the HM Revenue and Customs Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17, whether staff subject to formal warnings under the attendance management policy submit and progress appeals in accordance with the provisions set out in paragraph 4.5.15 of the Civil Service Management Code and paragraphs 26 to 29 of the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures.

Mel Stride: In line with the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code and the ACAS Code of Practice, an employee subject to formal warnings under the attendance management policy has a right of appeal at each formal decision point of the attendance management process. The HM Revenue and Customs appeals procedure is available to all employees via its intranet and clearly sets out the process and route via an impartial appeal manager.

Payments: EU Law

Chi Onwurah: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the implementation of the Second Payment Services Directive.

Stephen Barclay: On 19 July 2017, the Government laid the final implementing regulations for the EU’s second Payment Services Directive. These regulations will come into force on 13 January 2018, in line with the transposition deadline. Until negotiations conclude and the UK leaves the EU, all existing arrangements remain in place, including the second Payment Services Directive. Upon leaving the EU, the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will ensure that all EU law, including for the second Payment Services Directive, is retained in domestic law, providing certainty and minimising disruption to industry.

Revenue and Customs: Personnel Management

John McDonnell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what role does the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures play in the formulation of HM Revenue and Customs' human resources policy.

Mel Stride: HM Revenue and Customs ensures that its Discipline and Grievance policies, procedures and practices are consistent with the ACAS statutory Code of Practice.

Revenue and Customs: Environmental Impact Assessment

John McDonnell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 46 of the HM Revenue and Customs Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17, whether HM Revenue and Customs has undertaken an environmental impact assessment of its Building our Future Programme, and in particular on staff commuting to regional centres.

Mel Stride: I refer the Hon Member to the answer that I gave on 11 September 2017 to the Hon Member for Glasgow South West (6005).

Fiscal Policy: Monetary Policy

Ian Blackford: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the inter-relationship between monetary and fiscal policy.

Stephen Barclay: The separation of fiscal and monetary policy is an important feature of the UK’s macroeconomic framework. Monetary policy is the responsibility of the independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England, whereas the Treasury has responsibility for fiscal policy. The MPC has the primary objective, set out in law, of maintaining price stability, currently defined as an inflation target of 2 per cent, as measured by the 12 month increase in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI).

Beer: Excise Duties

Grahame Morris: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the beer duty increases announced in the March 2017 Budget on beer consumption in the (a) on-trade and (b) off-trade.

Grahame Morris: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of changes in beer duty on the cost of beer production.

Andrew Jones: The Government published its assessment of the impacts of the alcohol duty changes in the Tax Information and Impact Note, which can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-duty-rate-changes/alcohol-duty-rate-changes The Treasury keeps all taxes under review and engages with a wide variety of organisations to understand industry developments, including the beer and pub industry and public health groups.

Economic Situation and Employment: North East

Mr Stephen Hepburn: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the reasons for disparities in (a) employment, (b) unemployment, (c) average earnings and (d) economic growth in North East England.

Stephen Barclay: The employment rate in the North East is near its record high at 72.2%; the unemployment rate is 5.8%; weekly earnings for an average full-time employee are £504; and nominal Gross Value Added (GVA) per head has grown 13.7% since 2010. The gap between the North East and the UK employment rate has narrowed over the past two years. The government is addressing the barriers to economic growth in the North East and the rest of the Northern Powerhouse by investing in skills and infrastructure, developing our Industrial Strategy, and devolving more powers to local areas including the Tees Valley Combined Authority. This builds on the £379.6 million Local Growth Fund awarded to the North East since 2014.

Carers: Child Tax Credit

Julie Elliott: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward proposals to remove the two child tax credit limit for kinship carers who are unable to claim child tax credit for any child to whom they give birth.

Julie Elliott: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the effect of the two child tax credit limit on kinship carers who are already raising two children.

Elizabeth Truss: The government is committed to making the welfare system fair for those who pay for it as well as those who benefit from it. Families in receipt of welfare payments should face the same financial decisions as families supporting themselves solely through work. However, in recognition that some claimants are not able to make choices about the number of children in their family, the government has provided exceptions for certain groups, including in cases of kinship care. Data on the exceptions will be published at a future date following quality assurance. As with all our policies, the government will continue to keep this policy under review.

Monetary Policy

Ian Blackford: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the effects of the Bank of England's Quantitive easing programme.

Stephen Barclay: The UK’s monetary policy framework, set out in the Bank of England Act 1998 gives operational responsibility for monetary policy to the independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). Decisions on the use of monetary policy tools, including quantitative easing, are for the judgement of the MPC.

Import Controls

Caroline Lucas: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to mitigate potential delays at the UK border which occur as a result of additional customs control on goods originating from the EU after the UIK leaves the Customs Union.

Mel Stride: The Government is clear that the UK’s customs arrangements should be as frictionless as possible, and mitigate to the greatest extent possible against additional delays. Therefore, HMRC is working with other government departments which share the responsibility for maintaining the flow of trade through our borders to plan for mitigating the risk of delays relating to Brexit. As set out in the Customs Bill White Paper, the Government is engaging with businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises, in every sector and region of the UK economy to identify the customs challenges they face and understand what may impact them in future. HMRC will support businesses with the necessary education and guidance structures to be ready for future trade with the EU.

Stagecoach Group: KPMG

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the tax tribunal's decision in the case of Stagecoach PLC and Stagecoach Group Holdings Limited v The Commissioners for HM Revenue and Customs, what assessment he has made of the role of KPMG in selling the scheme which the tribunal found to be unlawful.

Mel Stride: During the last Parliament the Government announced over 35 measures and invested a further £800 million in HM Revenue and Customs to tackle tax avoidance and evasion. These measures include the Promoters of Tax Avoidance Schemes regime, introduced in Finance Act 2014, which aims to tackle the behaviour of certain promoters who meet various threshold conditions. The Government is going further in this Finance Bill with a new Enablers’ penalty which tackles the wider supply chain of those involved in developing and implementing tax avoidance schemes.

British Home Stores: Company Liquidations

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Government of Jersey on the closing of BHS.

Mel Stride: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Mossack Fonseca: Disclosure of Information

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress his Department has made in its inquiry into the Panama Papers.

Mel Stride: I refer the Honourable Member for Luton North to my response to question 105360 on 12 October 2017.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Tim Farron: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish his Department's compensation payment model to the Equitable Members Action Group.

Stephen Barclay: The Scheme published the payment calculation methodology in May 2011. A copy can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/equitable-life-payment-scheme-design

Welfare Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit claimants have more than (a) £6,000 and (b) £16,000 in capital.

Elizabeth Truss: The information requested is not held.

Revenue and Customs: Finance

Stephen Doughty: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the level of funding for contingency planning allocated to HM Revenue and Customs (a) in the last financial year  and (b) for the current financial year for preparation for the UK leaving the EU.

Elizabeth Truss: HMT is working with all departments, including HMRC, to ensure they have the funding they need to prepare for Brexit. The additional funding allocated to HMRC in 2017-18 for preparation for EU exit will be set out at Supplementary Estimates 2017-18 in the usual way. Departmental funding for the 2016-17 financial year was set out in Supplementary Estimates 2016-17.

Public Expenditure

Stephen Doughty: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral contribution of 23 October 2017, on funding for contingency plans in preparation for the UK leaving the EU, Official Report, columns 23 to 25, if he will publish the level of funding allocated to each Department and the reasons for that allocation.

Elizabeth Truss: As stated in my written Ministerial Statement on the 12th October, the Treasury has committed over £250 million of additional spending in 2017-18 to prepare for Brexit from the Reserve. Departmental allocations will be set out at Supplementary Estimates in the usual way.

Taxis: Excise Duties

Zac Goldsmith: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the DVLA on the reclassification of taxis as light goods vehicles for the purposes of vehicle excise duty.

Andrew Jones: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm. Like all taxes, Vehicle Excise Duty is kept under constant review

Post Office Card Account

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of bank branch closures on people requesting to have their state pension or benefits paid into a bank, building society or credit union account rather than a Post Office account.

Stephen Barclay: The Government has not made an assessment. The Government is committed to improving access to financial services. Access to a transactional bank account is key to enabling people to manage their money on a day-to-day basis effectively, securely and confidently. Under the Payment Accounts Regulations 2015, the nine largest personal current account providers in the UK are legally required to offer fee-free basic bank accounts to customers who do not have a bank account or who are ineligible for a bank’s standard current account. The Financial Conduct Authority is the body responsible for monitoring and enforcing firms’ compliance with these requirements. The Government continues to monitor firms’ wider commitments on basic bank accounts, including that applications should be accepted in the same ways as for other personal current accounts (e.g. in branch, online or via other channels). Since January, 99% of banks’ personal customers are able to withdraw cash, deposit cash and cheques, and make balance enquiries at a Post Office counter via its network of 11,600 branches.

European Investment Bank

Sir Vince Cable: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of continued membership of the European Investment Bank once the UK has left the EU.

Stephen Barclay: The European Investment Bank (EIB), and its offshoot, the European Investment Fund (EIF), have lent significant amounts to UK infrastructure and growth businesses. It may prove to be in the mutual interest of the UK and the EU to maintain an ongoing relationship between the EIB and UK after the UK has left the EU. The government is looking to explore these options with the EU as part of the negotiations. Whatever the outcome of the negotiations, it is important that UK businesses have access to the finance they need. As the Chancellor set out in his 2017 Mansion House speech, the government will be prepared in case the UK does not maintain a relationship with the Bank.

Public Expenditure: Scotland

Jo Swinson: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the  Barnett formula funding for Scotland in line with the increase in funding made available to Northern Ireland.

Elizabeth Truss: The Barnett Formula determines changes to each devolved administration’s funding with reference to changes in DEL funding for UK government departments. There was no change in DEL funding for UK government departments as a result of the financial support announced for Northern Ireland in June 2017.

Public Sector and Private Sector: Pay

Jeremy Quin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on compliance of the recent reforms to off-payroll working in the public sector; and what recent assessment he has made of the level and effects of non-compliance relating to the recent reforms to off-payroll working in the private sector.

Mel Stride: The off-payroll rules (commonly known as IR35) ensure that where an individual would be an employee if they were engaged directly rather than through their own company, they pay broadly the same taxes as employees. Since April 2017, public sector bodies have been responsible for deciding if these rules apply. Early analysis of tax receipts between April and June shows that around 90,000 additional new engagements occurred in the public sector above the level that would normally be expected. This indicates more individuals are being taxed as employees since the reforms, and is consistent with the government’s expectations that the reforms would increase tax compliance in the public sector. The cost of non-compliance in the private sector is continuing to increase: the latest estimate is that tax losses to the Exchequer will grow to £1.2 billion a year by 2022/23. This is part of the wider increasing cost of incorporation highlighted by the OBR in their 2017 Fiscal Risks Report.

Small Businesses: Finance

Justin Madders: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment has he made of the effectiveness of the Small and Medium Sized Business (Finance Platforms) Regulations 2015 in ensuring that small and medium-sized businesses are able to access finance.

Justin Madders: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses have been referred to (a) Business Finance Compared, (b) Funding Options and (c) Funding Xchange under the Small and Medium Sized Business (Finance Platforms) Regulations 2015 in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Justin Madders: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he or a Minister of his Department will meet the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston to discuss the Small and Medium Sized Business (Finance Platforms) Regulations 2015.

Justin Madders: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been loaned to businesses by (a) Business Finance Compared, (b) Funding Options and (c) Funding Xchange under the Small and Medium Sized Business (Finance Platforms) Regulations 2015 in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Stephen Barclay: The Bank Referral Scheme helps businesses which are viable, but do not fit the risk appetite of the traditional banks, to access the finance they need to grow and expand. Banks designated by the government are required to refer SMEs they decline for finance, with the SME’s permission, to designated finance platforms that can match SMEs with alternative finance providers. As of 11 August 2017 over 8,100 SMEs had been referred to the finance platforms, and 230 businesses had received funding totalling £3.8m from alternative finance providers. The government has announced its intention to designate another finance platform, Alternative Business Funding, on 1 November 2017. Further data will be released in due course.

Cabinet Office

Local Government: Elections

Cat Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that members of the public without formal identification are able to vote in local elections in 2018 in those local authorities which are taking part in the voter ID pilots; for what reasons the Government has not implemented recommendations from the Electoral Commission on making available a voluntary voter card for people without formal identification similar to the system used in Northern Ireland during those voter ID pilots; and if the Government will reimburse members of the public who might have to purchase a driving licence or passport in local authority areas that are taking part in those pilots.

Chris Skidmore: The voter ID pilot schemes are part of a comprehensive programme of reform that will enhance public confidence in our elections, and strengthen electoral integrity. No-one will need to purchase identification documents to be able to vote in the pilots scheduled for May 2018. Local authorities best understand the needs of their electors. Each pilot authority will use a combination of forms of ID that will ensure that every eligible elector has the opportunity to identify themselves before voting. Those without permitted forms of ID will have the opportunity to inform their ERO to obtain relevant ID. The pilot local authorities and the Electoral Commission are working closely with the Cabinet Office to ensure that this is possible and that every eligible voice can be heard.

One Public Estate Programme

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2017 to Question 8212, on the One Public Estate Programme, how much of that money has been spent on (a) staffing, (b) property, (c) IT and (d) other expenditure in each year since 2013-14.

Caroline Nokes: One Public Estate started as a pilot programme in 2013. Staffing and IT costs have increased each year in line with the programme’s expansion, as detailed in the table below. Staffing and IT costs to date total £4,140,408. No property costs have been attributed to the programme, other than those made through the grants awarded to One Public Estate partnerships. ‘Other expenditure’ to date totals £26,583,318. This includes grant payments to One Public Estate partnerships.Financial Year Staffing and IT CostsOther ExpenditureHM Treasury Awards2013-14£191,710£510,000£02014-15£411,998£1,190,000£02015-16£738,822£6,377,500£6,000,0002016-17£1,886,246£12,203,668£13,000,0002017-18 (to date)£911,632£6,302,150£18,000,000Total£4,140,408£26,583,318£37,000,000

Government Departments: Buildings

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2017 to Question 8207, whether the relevant HMT guidelines are in the public domain; by what criteria the charging mechanism will be tailored to individual departments; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Nokes: The overarching framework of the charging mechanism is currently in development with input from HM Treasury (HMT) and Finance colleagues across government departments. The GPA are committed to ensuring that the charging mechanism reflects the varying requirements of individual departments. This is an extensive an ongoing process as we work to transform how government property services are delivered. By its very nature the charging mechanism will be commercial in confidence and is not intended for publication but will conform to relevant HMT guidelines. When all conditions are satisfied by HMT and the shadow GPA, a public announcement will be made for the official launch of the GPA.

Government Departments: Buildings

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2017 to Question 8274 on Government departments: buildings, what the timetable is for completion of the business case; and what plans he has to publish it in (a) part or (b) full.

Caroline Nokes: The business case for the establishment of the Government Property Agency is developed in collaboration with government departments to capture their requirements for an integrated approach to property services delivery across government. The GPA’s business case will undergo a rigorous assurance including submission for approval to HM Treasury. Publication of a business case in these circumstances would be prejudicial to the effective audit of the policy proposals included in the business case. Final policy proposals including details of the benefits likely to be realised will be published in due course in the usual manner on gov.uk.

Government Departments: Cybercrime

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance he has issued to departments on cyber security since the Deloitte cyber attack.

Caroline Nokes: A key objective of the National Cyber Security Strategy 2016-2021 is that government will provide world-leading cyber security guidance that keeps pace with the evolving threat. As the UK’s technical authority for cyber security, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is the single source of cyber security advice to UK government, industry and the public. This advice is continually updated and designed to reduce the likelihood and impact of cyber attacks.

Elections: Armed Forces

Darren Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the recommendations of the WebRoots Democracy report, entitled Military Voting: Enhancing access to elections for the armed forces abroad, published on 1 August 2017; and what assessment he has made of the potential effectiveness of undertaking a pilot for an online voting option for UK military personnel based overseas.

Chris Skidmore: The Government notes the recommendations in WebRoots Democracy report. This is an important issue that we take seriously. We are committed to supporting our servicemen and women in exercising their democratic rights and overcoming the barriers that might prevent them from voting.However, the introduction of electronic voting (‘e-Voting’) would raise a number of issues which would need to be considered carefully. The selection of elected representatives for Parliament is regarded as requiring the highest possible level of integrity and, at present, there are concerns that e-Voting, by any means, is not seen by many to be suitably rigorous and secure, and could be vulnerable to attack or fraud. Furthermore, the Electoral Commission in their reports on the 2007 e-Voting pilots found that it had little direct effect on increasing turnout. To provide a system over which there are doubts to part of the electorate would not be appropriate.

UK Membership of EU: Referendums

Darren Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much funding from the public purse was allocated to the 2016 EU referendum for the (a) hire of accommodation for counting votes, (b) printing of polling cards, (c) distribution of polling cards and (d) accommodation for the opening of postal votes.

Chris Skidmore: The responsibility for managing the funding for national referendums using monies from the Consolidated Fund rests with the Electoral Commission. Counting Officers are given an overall maximum recoverable amount to cover the costs of running the poll. This is based on expenditure on the previous poll, updated for current circumstances, and is aimed to support flexibility in use of the monies by Counting Officers to make it work for the particular needs of their voting area.In reference to the overall costs of the 2016 EU Referendum, please see the following Written Statement, presented to Parliament on 23rd March 2016 by the then Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office, John Penrose MP:https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-03-23/debates/16032338000011/EUReferendum(CountingOfficers%E2%80%99Regulations) .The European Union Referendum (Counting Officers’ and Regional Counting Officers’ Charges) Regulations 2016 lists the maximum recoverable amounts (MRA) for the services and expenses of counting officers and regional counting officers:https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/199442/The-European-Union-Referendum-Counting-Officers-and-Regional-Counting-Officers-Charges-Regulations-2016.pdf

UK Membership of EU: Referendums

Darren Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many hours were worked by public servants opening postal votes for the 2016 EU referendum.

Chris Skidmore: This information is not centrally held by either the Cabinet Office or the Electoral Commission.

Gulf Strategy Unit: Finance

David Linden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 19 October 2016 to Question 47638 and pursuant to the Answer of 12 October 2017 to Question 8077, for what reasons the budget for the Gulf Strategy Integrated Delivery Team has more than doubled in the last financial year.

Damian Green: The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Gulf Strategy Unit: Staff

David Linden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people the Gulf Strategy Integrated Delivery Team employs; what proportion of those people are (a) full-time and (b) part-time; and what proportion of those people in each category are (i) military and (ii) civilian.

Damian Green: The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Employment: Jarrow

Mr Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of the working population of Jarrow constituency is currently employed in the private sector.

Chris Skidmore: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA response
(PDF Document, 65.09 KB)

Electronic Government: Proof of Identity

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Government Departments use the GOV.UK Verify service.

Caroline Nokes: Gov.uk Verify is currently used by 6 government departments and agencies to provide secure digital access to 14 services. These are provided by the DVSA, DVLA, HMRC, DWP, BEIS and DEFRA. The full list of services accessible through GOV.UK Verify is published on the GOV.UK website and is regularly updated.

Civil Servants: EU Institutions

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil service employees have completed a five-month European placement; and how many of those employees were fast streamers.

Caroline Nokes: 65 Civil Service employees have completed a five-month European placement.Of these 58 were fast streamers.42 were on the European Fast Stream and 7 on the centrally managed generalist FastStream. A further 9 were on the FCO European Fast Stream.

Senior Civil Servants: Recruitment

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2017 to Question 106358, on senior civil servants: recruitment, if he will make an estimate of when that information will be available.

Caroline Nokes: We should be in a position to provide this information during the week commencing 6 November 2017.

Ministers: Autobiography

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the recommendations set out in the Report of the Committee of Privy Counsellors on Ministerial Memoirs chaired by Lord Radcliffe, published in 1976, if he will publish the relevant sections of his Department's (a) current and (b) previous guidance to Ministers and civil servants on the publication of ministerial memoirs.

Damian Green: Consideration is given to Ministerial memoirs on a case by case basis, taking into account the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Radcliffe principles.

Electoral Register: Young People

Jim McMahon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to adopt the Electoral Commission's proposal automatically to register future voters at 15-years-old at the same time as they are being registered for national insurance.

Chris Skidmore: I refer you to the answer previously given to the member for Linlithgow, PQ1118 answered on 3 rd July 2017. There are no plans to introduce automatic registration, as it contradicts the principles underpinning Individual Electoral Registration. Making an application to register to vote is the right of individuals and can be done easily online, in as little as three minutes, as well as using the traditional paper form, if people prefer. The 2017 UK parliamentary general election was fought on the largest ever register, according to initial estimates.

Department for International Trade

UK Trade with EU

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether his Department will have ultimate responsibility for the negotiation of a UK-EU trade deal; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Hands: The Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) has the responsibility for the negotiation of a UK-EU trade deal as part of a future economic partnership. The Department for International Trade will continue to contribute trade policy expertise to input into DExEU’s preparations and negotiations.

Department for International Trade: Departmental Reorganisation

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate he has made of the cost of establishing his Department.

Greg Hands: The Department for International Trade identified an additional budget of £1.6m in 2016-17 for the one-off costs of establishing the new department.

Department for International Trade: Travel

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2017 to Question 1077450, on International Trade Travel, whether that policy has been followed for all Ministerial travel; and if he will publish the journeys which took more than five hours.

Greg Hands: All Ministerial journeys have adhered to Cabinet Office rules on international travel. Those journeys, published in the Department for International Trade transparency returns on 13 October 2017, that took more than 5 hours were those taken to: India; the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia; Oman; Japan; and the United States.

Exports

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2017 to Question 107560, on exports, whether the target to export £1 trillion of goods and services by 2020 remains his intention.

Mark Garnier: We are committed to increasing exports of all our goods and services as part of our vision of a UK that trades its way to prosperity, stability and security.The trillion pound ambition was set as an aspirational target before the creation of the Department for International Trade. DIT is establishing a network of nine overseas Trade Commissioners, who will lead DIT activity on a regional basis around the world. We are now reviewing how performance should be targeted in the new organisation to ensure measures are fit for purpose in an evolving landscape.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Equifax

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with her US counterparts on the Equifax data breach; and if she will make a statement.

Matt Hancock: A range of channels have been pursued by the Government, including direct contact US law enforcement and with Equifax US. In addition, the Government has received regular updates from Equifax. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the National Crime Agency, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Information Commissioner’s Office are assessing the impact on UK consumers and are discussing the scope of the company’s consumer notifications.

5G

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if it is her Department's policy that all (a) urban areas, (b) major trunk roads and (c) railways will have uninterrupted 5G coverage by 2025.

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if it is her Department's policy that 5G should be commercially available in at least one major city by 2020.

Matt Hancock: The Government’s 5G strategy - published at Budget 2017 - sets out the framework and steps that we will take to ensure that the UK is at the forefront of 5G. We are taking an active, facilitating role - not least through the 5G Programme of Testbeds and Trials - focused on helping to create the best conditions for the market to develop and deploy 5G in the UK in a timely and efficient manner.

Cultural Heritage

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the safeguarding of heritage cultural crafts in the UK.

John Glen: We take the protection and promotion of Heritage Crafts seriously. In March 2017 the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) announced that it would spend £10 million training people in heritage skills. The funding aims to train a new and more diverse generation of heritage workers in areas from traditional crafts to digital specialists to address critical shortages in the sector. In addition, HLF has already invested £47 million into the Skills for the Future programme, which helps organisations deliver paid training placements to meet skills shortages in the heritage sector and to help diversify the workforce, since it launched in 2009.

Video Games

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure appropriate age restrictions are applied to video games and other digital content; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure such age restrictions are enforced.

Matt Hancock: The Video Recordings Act 1984 requires that all video games for sale in the UK and classified as unsuitable for children carry a European Pan European Games Information (PEGI) age rating. Enforcement is monitored by Trading Standards and any retailer convicted of supplying a PEGI 12, 16 or 18 product to someone not meeting the specific age requirement faces a possible jail term and/or a fine. It is also an offence for companies distributing or retailing games without the appropriate age ratings on them. In the online space, we welcome initiatives such as the International Age Rating Coalition which ensures that games and apps available through many online and mobile storefronts feature PEGI age ratings. With regards to other digital content, through the Digital Economy Act 2017, we have created the requirement for commercial providers of online pornography to have robust age verification controls to prevent under 18s accessing this material. We will shortly seek Parliamentary approval of the designation of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) as the age verification regulator. The BBFC will monitor and take enforcement action against non compliant sites.

Gambling: Video Games

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the trends in the level of gambling content in video games played by children; and if she will make a statement.

Tracey Crouch: Protecting children and the vulnerable from being harmed or exploited by gambling is a core objective of the regulation of gambling in Great Britain, and a priority for the government.The statutory regulator, the Gambling Commission, monitors the participation of children in gambling through a range of data sources including complaints, academic research, and the annual Young People and Gambling Survey, which in 2017 included specific questions in relation to video gaming. The results of the survey are due to be published soon. The Gambling Commission has also asked its expert advisors, the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board, to examine the wider relationship between children and gambling.The Gambling Commission is engaging with the video games industry and with a wide variety of stakeholders, including child protection groups, to highlight the risks of gambling linked to video games to parents, consumers and the wider public. The government’s Internet Safety Strategy published on 11 October considers options for working with the online video games industry to improve video gaming safetyThe government recognises the risks that come from increasing convergence between gambling and video games. The Gambling Commission is keeping this matter under review and will continue to monitor developments in the market.

Sports: Mental Illness

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what role her Department plays in supporting sports persons who are recovering from mental illness.

Tracey Crouch: Sporting Future recognises the impact that sport has on the physical and mental health of people of all ages and highlighted the importance of welfare and wellbeing in elite sport.We have been working closely with Department of Health, mental health and sport organisations and athletes to explore how sport can improve its offer of mental health support. I recently hosted two roundtables, one for athletes co-hosted by the Minister for Care and Mental Health and the other for sports and mental health organisations to agree an action plan for future work in this area which we will develop over the coming months.

Broadband: Universal Service Obligation

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to provide a response to the consultation on the Broadband Universal Service Obligation that closed on 9 October 2017.

Matt Hancock: Yes, as indicated in the consultation on the broadband Universal Service Obligation, a summary of responses will be published in due course.

5G

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what persons and organisations her Department plans to invite to the Glasgow briefing event on 1 November 2017 which is part of the 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme: Phase 1 funding competition.

Matt Hancock: The 5G briefing event in Glasgow is one of three events taking place across the UK to support the launch of the first competition for the Government’s 5G Testbeds & Trials Programme. These events are open to potential bidders, including industry, academic institutions and local areas, and will help to prepare them to submit a proposal. We have advertised these events widely, emailing to over 9000 organisations across the whole of the UK, including Scottish Enterprise. Additional details are on the Innovate UK website, who are running the competition on behalf of DCMS.

Digital Technology: Glasgow East

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2017 to Question 90, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the potential effect of jobcentre closures in Glasgow East constituency on levels of digital exclusion.

Matt Hancock: Ministers and officials from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport meet regularly with their counterparts in the Department for Work and Pensions to discuss a range of issues including tackling digital exclusion. The Digital Skills and Inclusion chapter of the Digital Strategy, published in March of this year, describes some of the many ways in which we are working across government and with industry and the charity sector to address the digital divide. Responsibility for digital inclusion in Scotland is devolved, but the UK Government also funds Good Things Foundation to deliver the Future Digital Inclusion Programme. Good Things Foundation oversees the network of more than 5,000 UK Online Centres, including in Glasgow East.

Broadband: Colne Valley

Thelma Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to improve superfast broadband coverage in Colne Valley constituency.

Matt Hancock: The Colne Valley constituency falls within the area of BDUK partner 'Superfast West Yorkshire'. It is this local body who are responsible for managing superfast rollout in West Yorkshire. For further details of their plan, please contact the project directly https://www.superfastwestyorkshire.co.uk/

Equifax

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether any Government departments were compromised by the data breach at Equifax; and if she will make a statement.

Matt Hancock: No Government departments have been compromised by the data breach at Equifax Inc., a US-registered company. The Government has a contract with TDX Group Ltd, a subsidiary of Equifax Ltd. Equifax Ltd is a separate legal entity registered in the UK. The systems and platforms used in the UK by Equifax Ltd are entirely separated from those impacted by the cyber security incident in the US and were not affected.

Tech City UK and Tech North: Staff

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2017 to Question 107171, on Tech City UK and Tech North: Staff, if she will make an assessment of the gender balance in technical/STEM jobs at Tech City and Tech North.

Matt Hancock: We have no such plans.

Tech City UK and Tech North: Staff

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 October 2017 to Question 9257, on Tech City UK and Tech North: Staff, if she will publish the gender balance of senior staff at Tech City and Tech North.

Matt Hancock: The requested information is available on Tech City UK’s ‘About Us’ webpage: http://www.techcityuk.com/about-us/

Biometrics: Databases

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance the Government has provided on the capture, manipulation and storage of (a) facial images and (b) associated data in facial recognition systems; and what regulations cover such capture, manipulation and storage.

Matt Hancock: The Information Commissioner is the UK's independent authority responsible for administering and enforcing information rights and provides guidance and advice to individuals and organisations on, among other things, the protection of individual's data. The ICO advises organisations to conduct a 'privacy impact assessment' (PIA) where there is a need to meet individuals expectations of privacy, particularly where the organisation is using technology that may be perceived as being privacy intrusive, including the use of facial recognition technology. The ICO has published a code of practice on PIAs which can be found on its website at the following link: https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1595/pia-code-of-practice.pdf

Government Departments: Telephone Services

Carol Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to tackle companies who operate premium rate telephone numbers which forward calls to Government Departments.

Matt Hancock: The Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA) regulates premium rate services in the UK. In order to operate a premium rate service, providers must register with the PSA and abide by their Code of Practice, which is approved by the Office of Communications. Providers of information, communication and signposting services, which connect consumers to specific organisations via premium rate numbers on the 087 and 090 number ranges must also comply with a set of additional requirements (Special Conditions) designed to provide additional protections for consumers. Where the PSA has reason to believe that providers of such services may be in breach of the Code of Practice or the Special Conditions, they may investigate and in serious cases will refer them to its Code Adjudication Tribunal, which has the power to impose sanctions and orders, including fines, refunds to consumers and suspending the service in question.

Digital Technology: EU Internal Trade

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential benefits of continued membership of the EU Digital Single Market when the UK leaves the EU.

Matt Hancock: We are undertaking a comprehensive programme of analytical work to assess, across a range of scenarios, the economic impacts of exiting the European Union. The​ ​Government​ ​is​ ​engaging​ ​with​ ​businesses​ ​in​ ​every​ ​sector​ ​and​ ​region​ ​of the​ ​UK​ ​economy​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​understand​ ​the​ potential ​challenges​ ​and​ ​opportunities​ over the ​coming​ ​months​ ​and​ ​years.

Digital Technology: EU Internal Trade

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received from the British creative industries on potential benefits of continued membership of the EU Digital Single Market when the UK leaves the EU.

Matt Hancock: Since the 2016 referendum, the Government has carried out extensive and diverse engagement with hundreds of businesses of all sizes across the UK on the potential implications of our withdrawal from the EU, alongside extensive wider analysis and engagement. The Creative Industries are one of the UK’s greatest success stories and this Government is determined to ensure their continued growth and success. We have received a range of representations from the creative industries on the impacts and opportunities for the sector following the UK's decision to the leave the EU, including continued membership of the Digital Single Market (DSM).

Broadband: Weaver Vale

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the number and proportion of households in Weaver Vale constituency which do not have access to high-speed broadband.

Matt Hancock: Data from Thinkbroadband (http://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/weaver-vale,E14001024) and the Department's own models indicate that, of the 40,400 premises in Weaver Vale, 2.4% or approximately 975 premises do not have access to what the Department determines to be 'high speed' broadband (more than 10Mbits/second). We do not hold this figure broken down between residential, commercial and industrial premises.

Gambling Act 2005: Convictions

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many crimes have been recorded under the Gambling Act 2005 in England and Wales in each of the last five years.

Tracey Crouch: The Home Office collects information on the number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales. The only Gambling Act 2005 offence that is notifiable is ‘cheating at gambling or enabling or assisting person to cheat’. In the tables published by the Office for National Statistics, this offence is included in the offence classification “other notifiable offences’. It is not possible to separate out the number of offences recorded under the Gambling Act by the police in England and Wales from within this wider offence classification.

Public Libraries: Closures

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2017 to Question 107956, on public libraries: closures, for what reasons her Department does not collect or publish data on the number of public library closures.

John Glen: The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport does not seek to duplicate the collection of data that is collected and published by others. The Libraries Taskforce collected and published basic data about the number and locations of each public library in England as at 1 July 2016 and has worked with the libraries sector to define the data proposed for inclusion in a future core dataset for public libraries in England.

Culture: Finance

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2017 to Question 107065, on Local government: culture, whether her Department holds records of spending by local authorities on culture and the arts; and if she will make a statement.

John Glen: Spending by local authorities including their spending on culture and the arts are published by the Department for Communities and Local Government. It is important that local authorities recognise the benefits that investment in culture and the arts can bring. Arts Council England works with over 250 local authorities to promote the impact that culture can have.

House of Commons Commission

Elizabeth Tower: Iron and Steel

Jim McMahon: To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the decision on procuring steel for the refurbishment of the Elizabeth Tower was made with reference to the provisions of the Public Service (Social Value) Act 2012.

Tom Brake: The Public Service (Social Value) Act 2012 requires a relevant authority buying services to consider how what is being procured might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the “relevant area”. Parliament does not have a “relevant area” for the purposes of the Act, and therefore the Act’s provisions cannot formally be applied to Parliamentary contracts. Parliament does, however, have a Sustainable Purchasing Policy which sets a range of social, economic and environmental objectives which must be considered whenever procuring contracts with third party suppliers. Objectives of this kind are included in the terms and conditions of parliamentary contracts and any relevant outcomes and performance measures are monitored and reported during contract delivery.The House Service awards contracts, including maintenance works, on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender in accordance with the statutory regime set out in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 prohibit Parliament from insisting on the use of products “of a specific origin”. It would therefore have been unlawful to impose a requirement for the material used to be British. The contract for the refurbishment of the Elizabeth Tower, which was awarded to Sir Robert McAlpine, requires that they procure services, supplies and works in order to achieve the most economically advantageous outcome to ensure completion of the contract.

Department of Health

Heart Diseases: Accident and Emergency Departments

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were admitted via accident and emergency departments with a primary diagnosis of a cardiac condition in each month of the financial years (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14, (e) 2014-15, (f) 2015-16 and (g) 2016-17.

Mr Philip Dunne: A count of unplanned accident and emergencies (A&E) attendances1 resulting in an admission2 and a primary diagnosis of cardiac conditions3, for the financial years between 2010-11 and 2016-174 is provided in the table below. This is a count of hospital attendances resulting in admissions, not individual patients as the same person may have been admitted into a National Health Service hospital on more than one occasion. MonthYear 2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-17April18,34017,70920,24219,67220,36020,31821,866May18,92418,98420,34320,92621,61121,61222,782June17,67118,84319,66319,94120,63921,42021,827July18,01118,28819,52919,95420,25721,99822,088August18,55619,29419,41920,31020,51722,56021,556September18,09319,13019,06619,88520,49621,85221,777October18,50319,82320,68221,35221,34022,77422,008November17,57619,05819,66820,54019,62021,86119,870December16,23219,77119,80520,95318,91221,26120,203January17,41120,54719,97021,94519,09321,88619,924February16,64718,52518,43919,99818,40120,25119,226March18,05419,72919,89022,03819,85421,43622,154Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS Digital Notes: 1The following attendance category codes identify unplanned A&E attendances:1 = First A&E attendance3 = Follow-up A&E attendance - unplanned9 = Not known2 Attendance disposal 01 = Admitted to hospital bed / become a lodged patient of the same health care provider.3The recording of the diagnosis field within the A&E data set is not mandatory. It is not known to what extent changes over time are as a result of improvements in recording practice.20 = Cardiac conditions4HES figures are available from 2007-08 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage and changes in NHS practice. For example, changes in activity may be due to changes in the provision of care. Note that HES include activity ending in the year in question and run from April to March, e.g. 2012-13 includes activity occurring between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2013.

Nervous System: Accident and Emergency Departments

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were admitted via accident and emergency departments with a primary diagnosis of a central nervous system condition, excluding stroke, in each month of the financial years (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14, (e) 2014-15, (f) 2015-16 and (g) 2016-17.

Mr Philip Dunne: A count of unplanned accident and emergencies (A&E) attendances1 resulting in an admission2 and a primary diagnosis of central nervous system conditions (excluding stroke)3, for the financial years between 2010-11 and 2016-174 is provided in the table below. This is a count of hospital attendances resulting in admissions, not individual patients as the same person may have been admitted into a National Health Service hospital on more than one occasion. MonthYear 2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-17April7,8577,5908,2018,4899,5289,33010,133May8,1177,8538,7208,9179,83610,05610,916June7,6917,7138,4798,2929,5529,87810,270July8,1087,8248,4018,7939,64010,09710,533August8,0797,7628,3778,8129,8799,9699,938September7,8327,8898,4738,8169,43510,05810,009October8,3648,0868,7079,4409,89810,50610,484November8,0458,0478,2039,2449,32910,4259,722December8,4727,8928,2599,3348,78110,0289,823January8,6158,1998,6749,3658,91310,5949,923February7,6097,8388,1379,5018,59610,0899,296March8,2148,5938,94910,3439,13110,86810,394Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS Digital Notes:1The following attendance category codes identify unplanned A&E attendances:1 = First A&E attendance3 = Follow-up A&E attendance - unplanned9 = Not known2Attendance disposal 01 = Admitted to hospital bed / become a lodged patient of the same health care provider.3The recording of the diagnosis field within the A&E data set is not mandatory. It is not known to what extent changes over time are as a result of improvements in recording practice.24 = Central nervous conditions (excluding stroke)4HES figures are available from 2007-08 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage and changes in NHS practice. For example, changes in activity may be due to changes in the provision of care. Note that HES include activity ending in the year in question and run from April to March, e.g. 2012-13 includes activity occurring between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2013.

Urinary System: Accident and Emergency Departments

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were admitted via accident and emergency departments with a primary diagnosis of a urological condition in each month of the financial years (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14, (e) 2014-15, (f) 2015-16 and (g) 2016-17.

Mr Philip Dunne: A count of unplanned accident and emergency (A&E) attendances1  resulting in an admission2 and a primary diagnosis of urological conditions (including cystitis)3, for the financial years between 2010-11 and 2016-174 is provided in the table below. This is a count of hospital attendances resulting in admissions, not individual patients as the same person may have been admitted into an National Health Service hospital on more than one occasion. MonthYear 2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-17April6,2327,2298,1018,6539,7309,93510,937May6,4507,5298,3409,00310,27510,22911,836June6,2397,5288,5318,76710,07910,07611,539July6,7297,8268,4649,86110,55610,93412,059August6,7258,0458,9359,97010,78811,01212,252September6,5698,0138,7939,29710,10810,67811,768October6,4218,4208,8779,98710,19911,10711,987November6,4168,0418,4629,8189,47910,77311,133December6,0388,2938,74310,1989,89910,63911,532January6,5258,1468,49710,1399,25311,20611,650February5,8787,5528,0799,2778,43310,30110,475March6,5717,9738,56810,1939,18610,95411,608Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS Digital Notes:1The following attendance category codes identify unplanned A&E attendances:1 = First A&E attendance3 = Follow-up A&E attendance - unplanned9 = Not known2Attendance disposal 01 = Admitted to hospital bed / become a lodged patient of the same health care provider.3The recording of the diagnosis field within the A&E data set is not mandatory. It is not known to what extent changes over time are as a result of improvements in recording practice.27 = Urological conditions (including cystitis)4HES figures are available from 2007-08 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage and changes in NHS practice. For example, changes in activity may be due to changes in the provision of care. Note that HES include activity ending in the year in question and run from April to March, e.g. 2012-13 includes activity occurring between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2013.

Health Services: Per Capita Costs

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of (a) total and (b) per capita spending on (i) health and (ii) mental health is spent in the London Borough of Enfield; and where Enfield is ranked in (A) London and (B) England.

Mr Philip Dunne: General clinical commissioning group (CCG) spend on health is published by NHS England in its quarterly Financial Performance Report. Spend per head is not available, and CCGs are not ranked on spend per head. Total spend by NHS Enfield CCG can be found on page 13 of the Q4 2016-17 report, which can be accessed via the link below. https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/financial-report-q4-16-17.pdf CCG spend does not cover all health spend; it excludes directly commissioned primary care, specialised commissioning and other services directly commissioned by NHS England. The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health Dashboard publishes mental health expenditure figures quarterly. It does not include spend per capita. NHS Enfield CCG detail and totals for Q4 2016-17, which are the most recent published figures, can be accessed via the link below: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/mhfyfv-dashboard-q4-1617.xlsx

Breast Cancer: Medical Treatments

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice is given to people prior to breast cancer treatment and operations on the implications of such treatment or operations for their broader well-being.

Mr Philip Dunne: With all medical intervention patients are advised about any course of treatment within the scope of the requirements for informed consent. Guidance for all doctors can be found in the General Medical Council Guidance booklet “Consent: patients and doctors making decisions together”, which can be found here:http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/ethical_guidance/consent_guidance_index.asp

NHS: Pensions

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have received an overpayment from the NHS Pension Scheme in each of the last five years.

Mr Philip Dunne: The table shows the number of people who received an overpayment from the National Health Service Pension Scheme in each of the last five years, and of which the number of overpayments resulting from clerical errors.YearTotal number of overpaymentsNumber of overpayments resulting from clerical error2016/1715,154162015/1619,206172014/1522,547172013/1433,98882012/1332,31614Source: NHS Business Services Authority In a majority of cases an overpayment arises from changes in scheme member circumstances after the initial pension has been awarded. These are generally beyond the control of the scheme administrator, with subsequent revision to pension benefits often resulting in an overpayment.

NHS: Pensions

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS Pension Scheme has paid out in overpayments in each of the last five years.

Mr Philip Dunne: The table shows the total amount paid in overpayments by the National Health Service Pension Scheme in each of the last five years, and of which the total amount of overpayments paid due to clerical errors. YearTotal value of overpaymentsValue of overpayments due to clerical error2016/17£19,692,972£202,0642015/16£18,159,429£318,2672014/15£20,337,704£243,4332013/14£16,441,369£55,9342012/13£17,245,866£6,311Source: NHS Business Services Authority In a majority of cases an overpayment arises from changes in scheme member circumstances after the initial pension has been awarded. These are generally beyond the control of the scheme administrator, with subsequent revision to pension benefits often resulting in an overpayment.

NHS: Pensions

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, under what circumstances the NHS Pension Scheme would write off an overpayment due to official error.

Mr Philip Dunne: The NHS Business Services Authority administers the National Health Service Pension Scheme. As a public body it is required to act in accordance with the document Managing Public Money, issued by Her Majesty’s Treasury, when considering writing off an overpayment due to official error. A copy is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-moneyParagraph A4.11.2 states, ‘In principle public sector organisations should always pursue recovery of overpayments, irrespective of how they came to be made. In practice, however, there will be both practical and legal limits to how cases should be handled. So each case should be dealt with on its merits’. In doing so, the NHS Business Services Authority would take into account the following factors: - The nature and complexity of the overpayment;- The value of the overpayment;- The length of time since the overpayment was made to ensure the Limitations Act is considered;- Whether there is a case of that the legal defences of change of position or Estoppel could be reasonably relied upon; and- The potential hardship caused by reclaiming the overpayment, and the ability of the individual to repay. Therefore the NHS Business Services Authority would consider writing off an overpayment where, having assessed the above factors and taken legal advice, there may be sufficient grounds not to pursue further.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were admitted via accident and emergency departments with a primary diagnosis that was not classifiable in each month of financial years (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14, (e) 2014-15, (f) 2015-16 and (g) 2016-17.

Mr Philip Dunne: A count of unplanned accident and emergency (A&E) attendances1  resulting in an admission2 and a primary diagnosis of ‘diagnosis not classifiable’3, for the financial years between 2010-11 and 2016-174 is provided in the table below. This is a count of hospital attendances resulting in admissions, not individual patients as the same person may have been admitted into an National Health Service hospital on more than one occasion. MonthYear 2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-17April37,74048,75550,14953,38255,30562,53058,450May39,69548,75353,29652,46958,22065,19765,132June41,03747,79953,15148,84459,12466,79662,366July41,72248,05453,03352,54060,87967,33864,002August41,41447,75450,30650,28756,81063,90859,315September44,04948,49649,31549,65360,10263,26058,497October46,18250,22151,37052,49363,13563,69461,314November45,94047,15650,83352,63564,07461,60558,731December49,19248,97153,84753,67769,41761,05162,629January47,29049,54553,62555,49464,80463,02760,181February45,54248,95950,32250,35559,73558,26855,642March52,71350,70155,66657,40866,94063,24863,397Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS Digital Notes: 1The following attendance category codes identify unplanned A&E attendances:1 = First A&E attendance3 = Follow-up A&E attendance - unplanned9 = Not known2Attendance disposal 01 = Admitted to hospital bed / become a lodged patient of the same health care provider.3The recording of the diagnosis field within the A&E data set is not mandatory. It is not known to what extent changes over time are as a result of improvements in recording practice.38 = Diagnosis not classifiable4HES figures are available from 2007-08 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage and changes in NHS practice. For example, changes in activity may be due to changes in the provision of care. Note that HES include activity ending in the year in question and run from April to March, e.g. 2012-13 includes activity occurring between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2013.

NHS: Pensions

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce the incidents of official error leading to overpayment by the NHS Pension Scheme.

Mr Philip Dunne: The National Health Service Pension Scheme is administered by the NHS Business Services Authority. The Authority is improving its quality assurance processes and investing in additional staff training to reduce the risk of errors leading to overpayments by the National Health Service Pension Scheme. Progress in their quality assurance process improvements is overseen by the NHS Pension Board, a statutory board set up under the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 and responsible for overseeing scheme governance and administration, by the Department through Service Level Agreement reviews with the Authority and by the Pension Regulator through its annual survey of pension scheme governance.

NHS: Pensions

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that there is adequate accountability for errors made within the NHS Pension Scheme.

Mr Philip Dunne: The NHS Pension Board, a statutory board established by the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 and reporting to Secretary of State for Health, works with the Pensions Regulator to ensure adequate accountability for errors made within the National Health Service Pension Scheme by monitoring the performance of the scheme administrator, the NHS Business Services Authority. Through regular liaison and referrals, the NHS Pension Board and the Pension Regulator assess compliance by the scheme administrator with the Pension Regulator’s codes of conduct and relevant pension law.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the terms are of the loan facilities available to NHS Property Services Limited.

Mr Philip Dunne: The key terms of the NHS Property Services loan facility from the Department are: - Working Capital Loan up to £160 million (£100 million current loan balance);- Issued: 1 April 2017;- End date: 30 September 2018; and- The interest rate is determined with reference to the National Loan Fund rate prevailing on the day the loan facility is first used by the Company. In the case of the current loan facility the rate is 0.14% per annum.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has approved any salary increases or bonus schemes for the directors of NHS Property Services Limited in 2017.

Mr Philip Dunne: NHS Property Services must seek shareholder (i.e. Secretary of State) approval for all Director appointments and the remuneration for all Directors and senior employees earning more than £120,000 base salary per year. This includes the Directors’ salaries and bonuses (where applicable) for the 2016/17 financial year. This approval function is discharged by the Shareholder Director, a Senior Civil Servant acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, through membership and attendance of the Company Boards and relevant Committees, i.e. the Remuneration and Nomination Committees.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the payment of bonuses to the directors of NHS Property Services Limited is consistent with public sector pay policy.

Mr Philip Dunne: Current guidance on pay for very senior National Health Service managers (published by NHS Improvement in February 2017) requires NHS trusts to seek ‘very senior manager’ (VSM) salary approval and NHS foundation trusts to seek an opinion on VSM salaries from NHS Improvement, the Department, the Minister of State for Health and Her Majesty’s Treasury before confirming VSM salaries at appointment, where the annual salary is £142,500 or above. NHS Improvement’s guidance does not explicitly require approval of bonuses. Cabinet Office guidance on the approval of senior pay requires Chief Secretary to the Treasury (CST) approval for pay and remuneration of £142,500 for all Civil Service appointments and appointments to public sector bodies which are subject to Ministerial approval. CST approval is also required for all new performance pay (“bonus”) arrangements above £17,500 in the same organisations. Salaries of Director level posts in NHS Property Services (NHSPS) are set by NHSPS’ Remuneration Committee and established through external market benchmarking, which references the current NHS Senior Executive pay scales. Consideration is also given by the Remuneration Committee to the rates prevailing in the market for the post, as well as consideration of salaries in the public sector and other terms of the contracts.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many directors and employees of NHS Property Services Limited receive remuneration in excess of that paid to the Prime Minister.

Mr Philip Dunne: The table below sets out the required information based on the Prime Minister’s base pay of £150,420 as published on the parliamentary website.   DirectorsOther EmployeesNumber of NHS Property Services employees with remuneration greater than the Prime Minister’s salary41

Infectious Diseases: Accident and Emergency Departments

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were admitted to hospital who presented at accident and emergency departments with a primary diagnosis of an infectious disease in each month of the (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14, (e) 2014-15 and (f) 2015-16 financial years to the latest period for which figures are available.

Mr Philip Dunne: A count of unplanned accident and emergency (A&E) attendances1  resulting in an admission2 and a primary diagnosis of infectious disease3, for the financial years between 2010-11 and 2016-174 is provided in the table below. This is a count of hospital attendances resulting in admissions, not individual patients as the same person may have been admitted into an National Health Service hospital on more than one occasion. MonthYear 2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-17April1,8352,3512,5913,2513,8884,9166,081May1,8812,2212,7022,9443,7904,5565,943June1,7191,9572,4342,6643,8094,1985,545July1,7982,1322,5632,8344,0844,0865,718August1,8022,1432,4122,6033,8273,9774,682September1,8162,2822,4572,7673,9754,3065,334October1,8722,3482,7833,0094,4745,3806,545November1,9162,5042,8833,2745,0776,2627,384December3,1532,8023,7484,1496,8326,9669,080January2,5412,5173,2833,7815,6407,0148,456February1,9012,7953,1293,5654,7396,9186,623March2,2122,8163,5983,8455,1627,4296,532Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS Digital Notes: 1The following attendance category codes identify unplanned A&E attendances:1 = First A&E attendance3 = Follow-up A&E attendance - unplanned9 = Not known2Attendance disposal 01 = Admitted to hospital bed / become a lodged patient of the same health care provider.3The recording of the diagnosis field within the A&E data set is not mandatory. It is not known to what extent changes over time are as a result of improvements in recording practice.17 = Infectious disease4HES figures are available from 2007-08 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage and changes in NHS practice. For example, changes in activity may be due to changes in the provision of care. Note that HES include activity ending in the year in question and run from April to March, e.g. 2012-13 includes activity occurring between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2013.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

Mike Hill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons foetal alcohol spectrum disorder is not recognised as a mental health condition for the purposes of treatment.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder is a term used to describe a range of disorders and disabilities associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. It is not generally regarded as a single condition, but as an umbrella term that covers several alcohol-related medical conditions. Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder can include physical or intellectual disabilities, as well as problems with behaviour and learning. Treatment services for people with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder will be different for each individual depending on the symptoms. It is for individual clinicians to make decisions on appropriate treatments, together with the patient or their families or carers, taking into account any relevant guidance.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria he applies in calculating bonuses paid to the directors of NHS Property Services Limited.

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria he applies in the salaries paid to the directors of NHS Property Services Limited.

Mr Philip Dunne: Salaries of Director level posts in NHS Property Services (NHSPS) are set by NHSPS’ Remuneration Committee and established through external market benchmarking, which references the current NHS Senior Executive pay scales. Consideration is also given by the Remuneration Committee to the rates prevailing in the market for the post, as well as consideration of salaries in the public sector and other terms of the contracts. Director’s bonuses are tied to the delivery of challenging efficiency and improvement targets set by the Department. The Company’s proposals on Directors’ remuneration, including bonuses, are presented and considered at its Remuneration Committee, which includes the Shareholder Director, who is a Senior Civil Servant acting on behalf of the Secretary of State.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the guidance issued to clinical commissioning groups and NHS England about NHS Property Services Limited and charges for vacant space.

Mr Philip Dunne: NHS Property Services has introduced a Vacant Space Handback Scheme, which enables clinical commissioning groups within agreed parameters to transfer the liability of vacant space to NHS Property Services. This is publicly available on their website: http://www.property.nhs.uk/vacantspace/

Mental Health: Mothers

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to identify at an early stage new mothers who may be experiencing mental health problems.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Promoting good maternal and perinatal mental health is a key priority for this Government, as set out in the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health. The Department is investing £365 million between 2015/16 to 2020/21 in perinatal mental health services, and NHS England is leading a transformation programme to ensure that by 2020/21 at least 30,000 more women each year are able to access evidence-based specialist mental health care during the perinatal period. A key element of the transformation programme is to increase awareness and skills across the workforce, supporting better identification of perinatal mental illness, early intervention and consequently improved recovery rates. In addition, the Department has published guidance which has led to the creation of over 570 perinatal mental health visitor champions. Their role is to support health visitors with the identification and management of anxiety, mild to moderate depression and other perinatal mental disorders, and to know when to refer on to a specialist.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what monitoring was undertaken on whether the funding that was added to the baseline funding allocated to clinical commissioning groups in 2016-17 to meet the effect of the change by NHS Property Services Limited to charge tenants market rents was used for that purpose.

Mr Philip Dunne: NHS England allocated the additional funding provided by the Department in 2016/17 to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) with an express expectation that CCGs worked with their providers to ensure that the impact of the NHS Property Services charging regime was neutral in 2016/17 and should not be used for any other purpose. NHS Property Services is working with commissioners and its tenants at a local level to ensure that its charges are being paid.

NHS: Social Services

Bim Afolami: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Government plans to respond to the House of Lords Select Committee report on the sustainability of the NHS and adult social care, published on 5 April 2017.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Government’s response to the House of Lords Select Committee report on the sustainability of the National Health Service and adult social care will be published in due course.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria he has used to assess requests for additional equity funding beyond the original £125 million for NHS Property Services Limited.

Mr Philip Dunne: To ensure that property costs payable by commissioners are not fundamentally impacted by the creation of NHS Property Services, certain charges are excluded from the charging policy. These costs are funded directly by the Department as equity funding.The equity funding is paid to the company on an as required basis and covers the following types of expenditure:- Irrecoverable VAT and corporation tax;- One-off costs related to restructuring and specific agreed programme; and- Funding for approved capital projects.

Health Services: Fees and Charges

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of (a) upfront charging for NHS services and (b) assessments on patient paperwork on (i) access to services, (ii) health outcomes and (iii) patient waiting times.

Mr Philip Dunne: The United Kingdom has a residence based healthcare system, so overseas visitors are chargeable for National Health Service care unless an exemption category applies in the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations. Longstanding guidance to the NHS has advised that overseas visitors should pay in advance of accessing NHS care where their needs are non-urgent, meaning that care can safely wait until they return to their country of residence. From 23 October 2017 this has become a legal requirement, set out in the Regulations. Prior to committing to this change in law, the Government carefully considered the impact it may have. The requirement to pay upfront before accessing non-urgent care does not affect a chargeable overseas visitor’s access to services, except insofar as they are required to pay in advance of receiving non-urgent care. Urgent or immediately necessary care is provided regardless of whether upfront payment has been received. Only clinicians can assess the level of urgency. Consequently there is not expected to be an effect on health outcomes, nor on patient waiting times. NHS hospitals already have an obligation to make and recover charges from those overseas visitors who they have assessed as being chargeable for the healthcare they access. In order to examine how charges can be recovered more successfully from overseas visitors, pilots are currently being undertaken in several NHS trusts whereby two forms of documentation, one confirming identification and one demonstrating address in the UK, are being requested of all patients in certain service lines. This is to determine whether a patient is chargeable more quickly, so the patient can make more informed decisions about whether to proceed with treatment. The pilots will be formally evaluated once they have concluded.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the shareholder objectives for NHS Property Services Limited were last reviewed; and which organisations or people were consulted during that review process.

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the shareholder objectives are for NHS Property Services Limited; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The shareholder’s high level objectives for NHS Property Services are: - The provision of a high quality property service and the achievement of significant efficiency savings; and- Timely and value for money disposals of assets declared surplus by the National Health Service to release capital for investment for the benefit of frontline NHS services. These are translated into annual operational performance targets reviewed and agreed on an annual basis by the Shareholder Director, as senior civil servant acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, against which the company’s performance is assessed.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much additional funding over the baseline funding allocated to clinical commissioning groups was disbursed from the public purse in order to meet the effect of the change by NHS Property Services Limited to charge tenants market rents in 2017-18.

Mr Philip Dunne: The amount allocated for 2017-18 by NHS England to clinical commissioning groups for this purpose was £119,480,000.

NHS Property Services

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the return to date on the investment from the public purse made in NHS Property Services Limited.

Mr Philip Dunne: Since its establishment in April 2013, NHS Property Services has: - Through disposals of surplus sites and properties, delivered £200 million in capital receipts, which has been directly reinvested in the National Health Service estate, and released land for an estimated 4,000 new housing units, almost 3,000 of which are currently under construction; - Delivered 500 capital investment construction projects every year; and - Reduced its running costs by £120 million.

Plastic Surgery: Children

Bambos Charalambous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ban people under the age of 18 from accessing cosmetic procedures, other than those required by multidisciplinary healthcare.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Government is committed to improving the safety of cosmetic procedures through better training, robust qualifications for practitioners, and better information so that people can make informed decisions about their care. We are currently exploring options to support this commitment further. On the 13 September 2017, the Government laid new regulations in Parliament to impose a duty on the Care Quality Commission to rate and assess the performance of providers of surgical procedures for cosmetic purposes where the procedure requires intravenous sedation, general anaesthesia or the insertion of an implant. These regulations are due to come into force on 31 October.

Health Services: Learning Disability

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress he has made on the implementation of his policy Transforming Care since the establishment of the Transforming Care Delivery Board in February 2015.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The total overall number of people in inpatient units has fallen 14% since March 2015. In March 2017 we published a revised Care and Treatment Review (CTR) policy and made a number of changes to improve the effectiveness of CTRs. 164 inpatient beds closed in 2016/17, ahead of plan. The last stand-alone National Health Service hospital for people with a learning disability was absorbed into a mental health trust last year. New community services are opening, offering intensive support in people’s own homes rather than in hospital.

Drugs: Misuse

Mike Hill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of deaths from illegal drug use.

Steve Brine: Public Health England (PHE) led an inquiry last year into the recent rises in drug-related deaths in England. The report concluded that the reasons behind the increase in drug-related deaths are multiple and complex. Since then PHE has issued advice on providing naloxone (the antidote to heroin overdose), published updated clinical guidelines for drug treatment and worked with a network of treatment providers to establish good practice guidance on managing drug-related death risk factors and improving partnership between treatment providers and other healthcare services. PHE has also established a new Public Health Outcomes Framework indicator on drug-related deaths to enable local areas benchmark their performance against others. PHE continues to work with local authorities, providing advice and guidance to support their work in reducing drug-related deaths. This includes improving drug-related death review processes and increasing the number of people with drug problems who are in drug treatment.

NHS Walk-in Centres

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS walk-in centres are expected to (a) operate reduced hours and (b) cease operating in the next 12 months.

Mr Philip Dunne: This information is not held centrally.

Mental Health Services

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time was in each month since April 2015 for patients referred for primary care having suffered psychosis.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Average waiting times for patients experiencing psychosis referred for primary care are not centrally held. NHS England publishes interim data on the percentage of patients with first episode of psychosis starting treatment within two weeks of referral, in line with the Early Intervention in Psychosis standard. This data has been available since December 2015 and it can be found at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/04/EIP-Waiting-Times-Timeseries-August-2017.xlsx

Accident and Emergency Departments

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were admitted to hospital following a primary diagnosis of an ENT condition from accident and emergency departments in each month of each financial year since 2010-11.

Mr Philip Dunne: A count of unplanned accident and emergencies (A&E) attendances1 resulting in an admission2  and a primary diagnosis of ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions3, for the financial years between 2010-11 and 2016-174 is provided in the table below. This is a count of hospital attendances resulting in admissions, not individual patients as the same person may have been admitted into a National Health Service hospital on more than one occasion. MonthYear 2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-17April2,1452,3182,4882,7073,0192,9433,287May2,0862,1942,6312,5542,8332,8013,531June1,9992,1632,4022,4072,6402,8403,128July1,9382,1632,4422,4222,6082,9013,177August1,7652,1042,1672,1752,3422,5172,825September1,7911,9422,2032,1042,2072,5602,719October1,8892,2802,5182,5502,6392,8972,952November1,8042,2502,5732,5942,5143,0143,017December2,1342,4312,8942,7482,8293,1113,196January2,0372,4602,5882,8452,5683,2663,049February1,9682,4372,5602,8312,4593,3183,133March2,3012,6242,9313,0142,8223,6963,492Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS Digital Notes: 1The following attendance category codes identify unplanned A&E attendances:1 = First A&E attendance3 = Follow-up A&E attendance - unplanned9 = Not known2 Attendance disposal 01 = Admitted to hospital bed / become a lodged patient of the same health care provider.3The recording of the diagnosis field within the A&E data set is not mandatory. It is not known to what extent changes over time are as a result of improvements in recording practice.34 = ENT conditions4HES figures are available from 2007-08 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage and changes in NHS practice. For example, changes in activity may be due to changes in the provision of care. Note that HES include activity ending in the year in question and run from April to March, e.g. 2012-13 includes activity occurring between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2013.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were admitted to hospital following a primary diagnosis of a head injury from accident and emergency in each month of each financial year since 2010-11.

Mr Philip Dunne: A count of unplanned accident and emergency (A&E) attendances1 resulting in an admission2 and a primary diagnosis of head injury3, for the financial years between 2010-11 and 2016-174 is provided in the table below. This is a count of hospital attendances resulting in admissions, not individual patients as the same person may have been admitted into a NHS hospital on more than one occasion. MonthYear 2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-17April3,4903,5803,4663,3503,5313,7013,639May3,6963,8163,8963,5753,7803,8404,023June3,2843,6173,5223,6363,8843,9723,762July3,4883,9473,7233,8374,0264,1863,945August3,4473,7823,8583,8843,8973,9974,233September3,5213,8513,8373,6973,8514,1023,978October3,3513,9273,7433,6093,7504,0734,107November3,0163,7613,3893,7403,6033,6343,623December2,8153,9123,3443,7193,3793,4943,720January3,0233,3793,1863,5893,2213,4823,293February2,9253,1662,9813,3972,9323,1503,158March3,3033,6793,2644,0543,5843,5033,640Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS Digital Notes: 1The following attendance category codes identify unplanned A&E attendances:1 = First A&E attendance3 = Follow-up A&E attendance - unplanned9 = Not known2Attendance disposal 01 = Admitted to hospital bed / become a lodged patient of the same health care provider.3The recording of the diagnosis field within the A&E data set is not mandatory. It is not known to what extent changes over time are as a result of improvements in recording practice.04 = Head injury4HES figures are available from 2007-08 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage and changes in NHS practice. For example, changes in activity may be due to changes in the provision of care. Note that HES include activity ending in the year in question and run from April to March, e.g. 2012-13 includes activity occurring between 1st April 2012 and 31st March 2013.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Children

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve the management of emergency admissions of children and infants with bronchiolitis.

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of emergency admissions of children and infants with bronchiolitis.

Mr Philip Dunne: This is a matter for NHS England. We are not aware of any steps being taken by the Department to reduce the number of emergency admissions of children and infants with bronchiolitis. Admissions, when they occur, will rightly be at the discretion of the clinician and will be determined by the best interests of the patient. We are not aware of any steps being taken by the Department regarding management of emergency admissions of children and infants with bronchiolitis. Management of bronchiolitis is an integral part of all paediatric and Emergency Department training and all Emergency Department staff and paediatric assessment unit staff will be well versed in the management of this condition.

Mental Health Services: Staff

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the increase is in the (a) size of the mental health staff workforce and (b) number of professionally qualified clinical mental health staff employed since 2010.

Jackie Doyle-Price: NHS Digital data shows that the number of National Health Service staff (full-time equivalent) working in Mental Health and Learning Disability trusts increased by 4,295 from July 2013 to July 2017, of these 2,156 are professionally qualified clinical mental health staff. The number of Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) staff (headcount) increased by 2,278 between 2012 and 2015. Figures begin in 2012/13 due to the changes in services resulting from the dissolution of primary care trusts in 2012/13.Source:1. Health Education England (July 2017). Stepping forward to 2020/21: The mental health workforce plan for England.https://www.hee.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/documents/CCS0717505185-1_FYFV%20Mental%20health%20workforce%20plan%20for%20England_v5%283%29.pdf2. NHS Digital, Monthly workforce statistics as at July.https://digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB301003. 2012 IAPT Workforce Census paragraph 5.1.https://www.uea.ac.uk/documents/246046/11919343/iapt-workforce-education-and-training-2012-census-report.pdf/907e15d0-b36a-432c-8058-b2452d3628de4. The overall IAPT workforce number from the 2015 census was calculated as follows: sum of Low Intensity Therapy: Total Number of individuals (Staff in Post) on page 17 and High Intensity Therapy (HIT): Total Number of individuals (Staff in Post) on page 21. The 2015 IAPT workforce census is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/mentalhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2016/09/adult-iapt-workforce-census-report-15.pdf5. The overall IAPT workforce number from the 2014 census was calculated by adding total headcount for Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), non CBT HIT modalities and non-qualified counsellors and therapist, Table 4, page.11. The total funded establishment for whole-time equivalent psychological wellbeing practitioners was obtained from table 2, p. 9. The 2014 IAPT workforce census is available at the following link:http://www.ewin.nhs.uk/tools_and_resources/2014-adult-iapt-workforce-census-report.

Arthritis

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 1 February 2017 to Question 62116, on arthritis, what steps his Department is taking to increase the proportion of patients offered education and self-management services within one month of being diagnosed with arthritis.

Steve Brine: Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for commissioning services that offer education and self-management for patients diagnosed with arthritis. Currently, there is no consistent national data to identify the proportion of patients offered education and self-management within a month of being diagnosed. There has been significant progress in identifying the evidence base for new care models and optimal pathway solutions that offer better care and treatment for people diagnosed with arthritis. These include better access to first contact musculoskeletal physio practitioners and delivery of community based self-management rehabilitation programmes such as Escape Pain, StartBack or Pathway through Pain Programmes. The Five Year Forward View has made a specific commitment to do more to support people with long-term conditions and to help them manage their own health. Self-management increases the likelihood of better clinical outcomes, lower rates of hospitalisation and less need for emergency care. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published a best practice clinical guideline and corresponding Quality Standard for both rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis, both of which highlight the importance of self-management approaches and lifestyle advice in supporting patients to manage their condition. For RA this is outlined in a Quality Standard. Links are provided below: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs33/resources/rheumatoid-arthritis-in-over-16s-2098604563909 www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg177